Selected hadith (HadeethEnc), The Creed

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that Allah Almighty forbids swearing by the forefathers. So, whoever wants to swear should swear by Allah only and none but Him. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, then, mentioned that ever since he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prohibit it, he never swore by other than Allah neither intentionally nor by reporting such an oath on behalf of others.

The prohibition of swearing by other than Allah, especially by the forefathers was a habit practiced in the pre-Islamic era of ignorance.

Swearing means taking an oath by Allah, His Names, or His Attributes regarding some matter as a form of affirmation.

The superiority of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), given his quick compliance, good understanding, and prudence.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the first cases to be settled on the Day of Judgment, regarding the injustices committed among people, would be the cases of blood like homicide and the infliction of wounds.

The significance of the cases of blood, for what is most important always comes first.

The gravity of sins depends on the amount of harm they cause, and killing an innocent soul is one of the gravest kinds of harm and nothing is graver than this except disbelief in Allah Almighty and associating partners with Him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warns against carrying weapons against Muslims to intimidate or rob them. Whoever does so unjustly has committed a serious crime and a major sin and deserves this stern warning.

The Hadīth gives a stern warning against Muslims fighting one another.

One of the most mischievous acts on earth is to brandish weapons against Muslims and cause corruption by killing.

The warning in question does not apply to just fighting, such as fighting the oppressors, corruptors, and the like.

It is prohibited to scare Muslims with weapons and the like, even if done jokingly.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting in the mosque with his Companions when three men arrived. Two of them came in and the third left. One saw an empty space in the circle and sat in it. The other one sat behind the circle. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had finished his talk, he told his Companions about the three men. One of them sought refuge with Allah, and Allah gave him refuge, which means that he sat in the empty space that he found to listen to the mention of Allah. So, Allah blessed him with the virtue of sitting in that gathering. The second one felt shy, and Allah was shy towards him, which means that he did not jostle for the place and sat behind the circle. So, he was not denied the blessings of that gathering. The last one turned away, and so Allah turned away from him. This man left without any excuse. That is why he was denied the blessing of that gathering.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed by two graves and said: The two buried in these graves are being tormented but not for something that you would consider significant, although it is significant in the sight of Allah. One of them used to be heedless of keeping his body and clothes clean from the traces of urine when relieving himself, while the other used to spread slander among people, transferring others' talk with the intention of causing harm, dissension, and enmity among them.

Talebearing and heedlessness in shielding oneself from urine are major sins and a cause for punishment in the grave.

Allah Almighty revealed part of the unseen, such as the torment of the grave, as a sign of his prophethood.

The act of splitting the two date palm leaves and putting them on the grave is unique to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because Allah informed him of the condition of the two buried in that grave. Therefore, none should be compared to him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because none is aware of the conditions of the dead.

The Hadīth states that honesty shall be gradually uprooted from people’s hearts. As the first part of honesty leaves, the heart loses its light leaving a faint trace of darkness, different in color from the color preceding it. Further loss of honesty leaves a substantial irremovable mark, except for after a period of time. This darkness is denser than the previous one. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) likened the elimination of the deep-rooted light from the heart and its replacement with darkness to an ember rolling down a man’s leg and leaving a mark on it. The ember rolls away, but the blister remains. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) picked up a small stone and rolled it over his leg to make his point clearer. After the sleep during which honesty is removed, people who are trading will rarely be willing to return the things that they were entrusted with, let alone actually return them in reality. Due to such rarity, very few people will be labeled as honest and trustworthy. You may even see a man who is hardworking and intelligent, but there will be no grain of faith in his heart, let alone honesty, which is a branch of faith. The narrator reflected on a past time in his life when he would carry out transactions with anyone, without caring who they were, because he was certain that honesty was flourishing and people would fulfill their promises. Fully trusting people’s honesty, he used to trade with anyone, without investigating their situation. Later, however, when honesty disappeared, except in rare cases, he would only conduct transactions with those he knows and trusts.

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, Commander of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Black Stone in the corner of the Ka‘bah and kissed it. He, then, said: Verily, I know that you are a stone that can neither harm nor benefit. Had I not seen the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) kissing you, I would not have kissed you.

The permissibility of kissing the Black Stone for those performing Tawāf (circumambulation) when they pass by it, if it can be done easily.

The purpose of kissing the Black Stone is to follow the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

An-Nawawi said: It means that it has no power to bring benefit or harm; it is a created stone like other creations that neither harm nor benefit. ‘Umar proclaimed this during the season so that people from various lands would hear it and preserve it from him.

Acts of worship are Tawqīfi (determined by divine texts), therefore, nothing thereof is legitimate except what has been prescribed by Allah and His Messenger.

If an act of worship is authentically established, it should be practiced even if its wisdom is not known, for one of the intended purposes is people's compliance and obedience in performing it.

The prohibition of kissing stones or other objects as an act of worship unless prescribed in the Shariah.

This Hadīth comes as an implementation of the command of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for one to inform his brother if he loves him. When a man was sitting with him said that he loved "that man", i.e. another man who was passing them by, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Have you told him?" This indicates that the Sunnah institutes saying "I love you" to anyone one loves, because this word puts love in his heart, as if he knows that his brother loves him, he will love him back, even though the hearts sense love even if not expressed by words. Similarly, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The souls are troops collected together. Those of them who are familiar with one another unite, and those who are unfamiliar with each other are in conflict." However, when one expresses his love in words, saying "I love you for Allah's sake", it will increase his brother's love for him.

The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were the most eager of people to follow the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in every aspect. They would even walk in the same path that he used to walk in, sit in the same places he used to sit in and do everything they knew he used to do. This Hadīth is a proof of that, as Abu Bakr and ‘Umar visited a woman whom the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit. They visited her only because of this. When they arrived at her home, she began to weep. They said to her why are you weeping? Do you not know that what Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, has prepared for His Messenger is better than this world? She replied: I do not weep because of that, but rather because the revelation has ceased. This is because when the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, the revelation stopped, as there is no revelation after him. That is why Allah perfected the Shariah before he passed away. Allah, the Almighty, says: {This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion} [Al-Mā‘idah: 3]. Upon hearing her words, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar started weeping as well because she reminded them of what they had forgotten.

This Hadīth indicates the Prophet’s longing for meeting Jibrīl (peace be upon him), who used to bring him the divine revelation. Jibrīl did not come to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for forty days. So, he said to him: ''What makes you not visit us?'' i.e. it has been a long time since you last came, and I miss you. So, Allah revealed to Jibrīl to say to the Prophet: {And we [angels] descend not except by the order of your Lord. To Him belongs that before us and that behind us and what is in between. And never is your Lord forgetful.} According to this verse, revelation is sent down only with Allah's command and in accordance with His wisdom, for to Allah belong the affairs of the world and the Hereafter, and He never forgets anything. In other words, delaying the revelation does not mean that Allah has forgotten or left you. To conclude, this Hadīth suggests that one should accompany the righteous and visit them, for this is a good thing to do.

The Hadīth of Abu Shurayh al-Khuzā‘i (may Allah be pleased with him) highlights the principle of honoring and serving the guest. He reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day let him honor his guest." And this is meant to encourage and urge honoring the guest, and it means that honoring the guest is a sign of belief in Allah and the Last Day and perfect faith in Allah and the Last Day. Some of the ways one can honor guests: meeting him with a cheerful face, saying good words to him, and offering him food for three days. On the first day, he should be generous to him as much as he can, and on the remaining days he serves him from what he can afford without going beyond what is normal, so that he does not burden the guest or himself. After the three days, it is considered charity. If he wishes to (continue) he may, and if not he may desist. Regarding his statement: "Let him honor his guest with his due reward for a day and a night, and hospitality is three days", the scholars said that 'reward' means giving much care to the guest for a day and a night and present to him as much kindness and goodness as he can. As for the second and third days, he feeds him what is available with him, and he does not exceed what is customary. What is beyond three days is charity and favor. If he wishes he may do so and if he wishes he may desist. In the version of Muslim: "And it is not lawful for him to stay at his home to the point that he causes him to sin", meaning it is not permissible for the guest to stay at the host's home more than three days until he causes him to fall into sin, as he may backbite him for overstaying, say indirect speech that may offense him, or have unlawful suspicions of him. All this applies in case the guest stays beyond three days without an invitation from the host. The standard of honoring the guest differs depending on the condition of the guest; a noble person should be honored with what is befitting for him, a middle-class person should be honored with what is befitting for him, and there are others who are below that.

The Hadīth explains that the most honorable among people in terms of ancestry, lineage, and origins are the best during the pre-Islamic era, provided that they attain religious knowledge. For example, it is known that Banu Hāshim are the best of Quraysh in Islam, provided that they understand Allah's religion and learn its rulings. However, failing to attain understanding in religion, noble lineage will be of no avail. If one is of a high lineage and from the most noble of Arab ancestry, this will not make such a person from the most honorable of creation in the sight of Allah. Based on this, a person is honored by his lineage, on condition that he possesses understanding of the religion.

‘Abdullāh ibn Mughaffal (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade throwing stones and said: "It does not kill the quarry." Another narration reads: "It does not hunt the game" - "or harm the enemy. Instead, it can gouge out an eye or break a tooth." Scholars said that the prohibited “throwing”, which is intended in this Hadīth, is the kind of throwing where one places a pebble between the right index finger and the left index finger or between the index finger and thumb, then placing the pebble on the thumb and flicking it with the index finger or placing it on the index finger and flicking it with the thumb. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade this and justified it by saying that it can gouge out an eye or break a tooth if it hits someone and it cannot catch the quarry, because it is not strong enough, and it cannot ward off the enemy, because the enemy is repulsed by arrows, not by small pebbles. Then, one of his relatives came out and started throwing pebbles. So, he prohibited him from doing so and told him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that. Then, he saw him doing that again, and he said: "I told you that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade throwing stones, and you are still doing it! I shall never speak to you again." He disassociated from him because he did something that violated a prohibition of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

Yazīd ibn Hayyān reported: I went along with Husayn ibn Sabrah and ‘Amr ibn Muslim to Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him). As we were sitting with him, Husayn said to him: O Zayd, you have acquired a great virtue by seeing the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) listening to his words directly, fighting by his side, and praying behind him. You have, in fact, earned a great virtue. Could you narrate to us what you heard from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)? He said: I have grown old, and it has been long. I have forgotten some of the narrations I memorized from Allah's Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him); so accept whatever I narrate to you, and what I do not narrate, do not compel me to narrate. He then said: One day, the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) stood up to deliver a sermon in a valley that had a water known as Khumm located between Makkah and Madīnah. He praised Allah, extolled Him, and reminded us of observing the right of servitude to Allah, which we were distracted from by our preoccupation with our families and dependents. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then said: O people! I am only a human being, and I am about to die, but I am leaving with you two great and significant things: the first is the Qur'an, in which there is right guidance and light. So, follow it and force yourselves to adhere to it. He urged us to follow the Qur'an and adhere to its rope. Afterwards, he prompted us to be kind to his household, to obey Allah in them and observe their rights. He said that twice. Husayn asked Zayd about his household, and whether or not his wives were members of his family. Zayd said that his wives were members of his family as they lived with him and were under his responsibility. He commanded us to respect and honor them. However, generally speaking, his household are the ones for whom obligatory charity is forbidden, and those were the household of ‘Ali, ‘Aqīl, Ja‘far, and ‘Abbās. All of these are forbidden from taking any of the obligatory charity (i.e. Zakah, vows, and expiation). In another narration: Indeed, I am leaving behind two great matters: one of them is the Book of Allah. It is His covenant and the only means to His pleasure and mercy. It is His light by which He guides. So whoever follows it through observing its commandments and refraining from its prohibitions is following guidance, which is the opposite of error, and whoever turns away from its commandments and prohibitions is on error.

A Bedouin man, among the dwellers of the desert, asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the time of the Hour. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: What righteous deeds have you prepared for it? The questioner said: I have not prepared much deeds for it, except that I love Allah and His Messenger. He did not mention any other act of worship, be it by the heart, body, or property, for these are all branches of love dependent on it, and because true love motivates a person to strive to do righteous deeds. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: You will be with whom you love in Paradise. The Prophet's Companions greatly rejoiced at this good news. Then, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that he loved the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr and ‘Umar and hoped he would be with them, even though his deeds were not like their deeds.

The Hadīth demonstrates the Prophet's wisdom through his reply to the questioner. He guided him to what concerns him and helps him attain salvation, namely to get prepared for the Hereafter by beneficial and pious deeds.

Allah Almighty has kept knowledge of the Hour hidden from the people so that everyone will always be ready and prepared for meeting Allah.

It highlights the merit of loving Allah and His Messenger and the righteous believers and warns of loving the polytheists.

The Prophet's statement "You will be with whom you love" does not mean that they will be equal in rank and status. The meaning is that they will be in Paradise and able to see each other, even if the distance between them is great.

The Hadīth directs a Muslim to preoccupy himself with things that are better and more beneficial for him and refrain from asking about things that bring him no benefit.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs his Companions about the Anti-Christ and his descriptions and signs that no other prophet before him had spoken of. This includes: The fact that he is one-eyed. Allah Almighty gave him something like Paradise and Hellfire that the eyes would perceive as such. His Paradise will, in fact, be Hellfire, and his Hellfire will be Paradise. He admits those who obey him to this Paradise, which looks to be as such to people but is actually a scorching fire; and those who disobey him, he will admit him to Hellfire, which appears to be as such to people but is actually a beautiful Paradise. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then warned us against his trial just as Noah had warned his people against him.

The enormity of the trial of the Anti-Christ.

Surviving the trial of the Anti-Christ is ensured through true faith, resorting to Allah Almighty, seeking refuge with Him from his trial in the last Tashahhud, and memorizing the first ten verses of Surat al-Kahf.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) showed great care for his Ummah as he clarified to Muslims some of the traits of the Anti-Christ that any other prophet had not clarified before him.

The noble Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that at the end of time, a man will pass by the grave of another man and roll over in the dirt, wishing to be in his place because of the worldly hardships and the immense trials and tribulations that have afflicted him. This is because the dead are relieved of the worldly hardships and distress. The Hadīth does not encourage wishing for death; rather, it is a report of what will happen at the end of time.

Our noble Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that close to the establishment of the Hour, the River Euphrates will uncover a treasure of gold or a mountain of gold, meaning the gold will come out as a mountain; and people will fight over it because it is one of the trials. Then he forbids those who witness that incident from taking out of it, because no one will be saved from it. Perhaps some of those who witness that event interpret this Hadīth in a way that alters its true meaning, in order to justify for himself taking from it, we seek refuge with Allah from trials.

The noble Prophet informs us in this Hadīth that, at the end of time, Madīnah (may Allah increase it in honor and nobility) will be deserted by its residents and nothing will remain there, except wild animals and birds. Two shepherds will drive their sheep from Muzaynah to Madīnah and will come to find it desolate and empty. They will be the last to die; when they reach Thaniyyat al-Wadā‘, they will fall dead.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that at the end of times, a Muslim caliph will generously distribute money countlessly. Indeed, there will be then huge amounts of wealth and spoils of war.

Money will increase so abundantly that no one will be found to take it. Men will decrease and women will increase, either due to wars or because more women will be born, to such an extent that for one man, there will be forty women, including daughters, sisters, and relatives, who will depend on him.

The noble Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that at the end of times, Allah will take the souls of righteous people; while other people will survive whom Allah will not raise in status or value, nor will have mercy upon them. Indeed, they are the most wicked creatures in His sight. The Hour will occur while they are alive.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that a person resembles his close friend and companion in his ways and habits, and friendship affects morals, manners, and behaviors. Therefore, he instructed us to choose our friends carefully, as a friend guides his friend to Imān (faith), guidance, and goodness, and helps him in this regard.

The Hadīth enjoins us to befriend good people and choose them carefully and prohibits us from taking wicked people as friends.

He specifically mentioned the friend and not the relative because a person chooses his friends, but has no choice concerning his brothers and relatives.

A person should think well before taking anyone as a friend.

A person’s religious commitment is strengthened by accompanying the believers and is weakened by accompanying sinners.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw in a dream that he was using a tooth-stick and two men came to him, one older than the other. He wanted to give it to the younger one, but it was said to him "give the older one first!". So he gave it to the older one.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is urging the believer to hasten to good deeds and perform them frequently before they become difficult and he gets preoccupied with tribulations and suspicious matters that would prevent him and turn him away from offering good deeds. During such tribulations, which are as dark as the night, the truth and falsehood are mixed up, and it becomes hard for people to distinguish between them. Their severity causes one to wander blindly to the extent that he would be a believer in the morning and become a disbeliever in the evening, or he would be a believer in the evening and become a disbeliever in the morning, abandoning his religion for the sake of a transient worldly gain.

It is obligatory to hold fast to the religion and hasten to good deeds before being hindered by impediments.

Referring to the succession of misleading trials at the end of time and the fact that when one trial ends another begins.

If one's religion is weak and he gives it up in return for worldly affairs like wealth and others, this will cause him to deviate, abandon the religion, and get carried away by trials.

The Hadīth bears evidence that good deeds are a means of salvation from trials.

Trials are of two types: trials related to suspicious matters and their treatment lies in knowledge, and trials related to desires and their treatment lies in faith and patience.

The Hadīth points out that those with few good deeds are more vulnerable to tribulations, whereas those with plenty of good deeds should not be deceived by what they have done; rather, they should strive for more.

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says that she never felt jealous of any of the Prophet's wives more than she felt jealous of Khadījah (may Allah be pleased with her) who was the Prophet's first wife and had died before ‘Ā’ishah saw her. In Madīnah, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would slaughter a sheep and send gifts of meat to the friends of Khadījah. ‘Ā’ishah lost her patience, so she said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that it was as if there was none in the world except Khadījah. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that Khadījah did such-and-such good things, and he mentioned her qualities. He added something that revealed the secret of his deep love, amiability, and connection with Khadījah: he had children from her. Indeed, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had four daughters and three sons, and they were all from Khadījah, except for his son Ibrahīm, who was from Māriyah al-Qibtiyyah, whom the king of the Copts gave as a present to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Once, the sister of Khadījah, Hālah ibnt Khuwaylid, sought permission to meet the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Since her voice and demeanor were similar to Khadījah's, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remembered Khadījah and was pleased on that account.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the place of Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) terrified and afraid, while he was saying: There is no god but Allah, indicating the expectation of something unpleasant happening, and that there is no escape from it except by seeking refuge in Allah Almighty. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Woe to the Arabs from an evil that is about to happen. Today, a hole has been opened in the dam of Gog and Magog, which was built by Dhu al-Qarnayn, like this, as he made a circle with his thumb and the one next to it. Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) said: How can Allah send destruction upon us when there are righteous believers among us? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) responded to her, saying: If evil, such as immorality, debauchery, sins, adultery, alcohol, and other things, becomes widespread, destruction will befall everyone.

Panic should not distract a believer's heart from remembering Allah in times of fear, for hearts find tranquility in the remembrance of Allah.

Muslims are exhorted to disapprove of sins and prevent their commission.

General destruction may occur due to the abundance and prevalence of sins, and the failure to denounce them, even if there are a lot of righteous people.

Misfortunes befall all people, pious and corrupt, but everyone will be resurrected according to their intentions.

He singled out the Arabs in his statement "Woe to the Arabs from an impending evil" because they were the majority of Muslims at the time.

The noble Companion ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) informs us what happened to the Commander of the Believers ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) when ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn, of high status among his people, came to see him in Madīnah. ‘Uyaynah began his speech in a disrespectful manner and then criticized and rebuked ‘Umar, saying: “You neither bestow much on us nor deal with us justly.” As a result, ‘Umar became so furious that he was about to beat him; however, some of the Qur’anic reciters, including ‘Uyaynah’s nephew, Al-Hurr ibn Qays, stood up and addressed the rightly guided caliph ‘Umar, saying: “O Commander of the Believers! Allah said to His Prophet: {Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorants} [Al-A‘rāf: 199]. This one is from the ignorants.” ‘Umar stood committed to that verse and suppressed his anger, as he always adhered strictly to the Book of Allah. So, he refrained from beating this man in compliance with the verse that was recited to him. This is how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to show politeness and respect towards the Book of Allah. They would not violate its commands and teachings. Whenever it was said to them, “this is the word of Allah,” they would submit to it, no matter what.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that trials and tests do not depart from the believing men and women - in their selves, including their health and body; in their children, such as illness, death, disobedience, or other things; and in their wealth, such as poverty, loss of trade, theft, poor living conditions, and little sustenance - until Allah expiates all their sins and misdeeds through that trial. Thus, when they meet Allah, they will have been purified from all the sins and misdeeds they perpetrated.

An aspect of Allah’s mercy toward his believing servants is that He expiates their sins by afflicting them with calamities and plights of this world.

A mere affliction expiates sins, provided there is Imān. If a person exhibits patience and does not become discontent, he will be rewarded.

A Muslim is encouraged to be patient in all matters, both pleasant and unpleasant. He should be patient in order to carry out Allah's commands and be patient in order to avoid His prohibitions, hoping for Allah's reward and fearing His punishment.

In the phrase "the believer, man or woman", he added the word 'woman' to put more emphasis regarding women; otherwise, if he had said "the believer" only, this would have also included women, for this matter is not restricted to men. So, if an affliction befalls a woman, she is also promised the same recompense of expiating her sins and misdeeds.

What alleviates the pains suffered by a person time after time is the merit he obtains as a result of the affliction.

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said to ‘Atā’ ibn Abi Rabāh: Shall I show you a woman of the people of Paradise? ‘Atā’ said: Yes. He said: This black Abyssinian woman came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: I suffer from an illness that causes me to have seizures, and I become uncovered, revealing parts of my body without my awareness. So supplicate Allah to heal me. He (the Prophet) said: If you wish, be patient and you will enter Paradise, or, if you wish, I will supplicate Allah to cure you. She said: I will remain patient, then she said: Supplicate Allah that I do not become uncovered if I have a seizure, and he supplicated Allah for her.

Patience in enduring worldly trials leads to Paradise.

An-Nawawi said: It contains evidence that one who is afflicted with epilepsy receives the most complete reward.

The chastity and modesty of the female Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and their keenness on covering themselves, as this woman's greatest fear was that any part of her body might be exposed.

Ibn Hajar said: Choosing the stricter ruling over the concession is better for one who knows about himself that he is capable and is not weakened by adhering to what is strict.

Ibn Hajar said: It indicates that treating all illnesses through supplication and seeking refuge in Allah is more effective and beneficial than medicinal treatments. The impact of this on the body is greater than that of physical remedies. However, its efficacy depends on two conditions: 1. From the patient's side: sincerity of intention. 2. From the healer's side: the strength of their focus and heart through piety and reliance on Allah, and Allah knows best.

Ibn Hajar said: It contains evidence on the permissibility of abstaining from medical treatment.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that a Muslim's supplication for his fellow Muslim in his absence is answered because it demonstrates greater sincerity. At the head of the supplicator is an appointed angel who says whenever he invokes good for his brother: Amen, and may you receive the same.

Encouraging believers to show kindness to one another, even with supplication.

Supplicating for others in their absence is an indication of sincere faith and true brotherhood.

Restricting supplication for others to their absence, because this demonstrates greater sincerity and presence of heart.

One of the reasons for supplications being answered is when a Muslim prays for his fellow Muslim in his absence.

An-Nawawi said: The merit of supplicating for a fellow Muslim in his absence—even if one prays for a group of Muslims, this merit is attained. And if one supplicates for the entire Muslim community, it is evident that this merit is also attained. Some of the righteous predecessors, when they wished to supplicate for themselves, would supplicate for their Muslim brother with the same supplication, because it is answered, and they receive the same.

Clarifying some of the tasks of angels—among them are those whom Allah has entrusted with this specific task.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: I know and see things that you do not know and see. There was a groaning sound in the heaven like the sound of a camel when the load is placed on its back, and the heaven had every right to groan. The reason for the groaning is that there is not a space of four fingers except that there is an angel prostrating his forehead before Allah, the Exalted. By Allah! If you knew what I know about Allah's magnificent majesty and the severity of His vengeance, you would laugh little and weep much from fear of Allah's absolute power and domination. You would not enjoy women in beds out of terror (of His anger and punishments), and you would go out to the open spaces and roads, crying out loud and imploring Allah, the Exalted, for help and mercy.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swears by Allah that none of this nation, be he Jewish or Christian or otherwise, who hears of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and of his message then dies without believing in him except that he will be among the dwellers of Hellfire who will reside therein forever.

It demonstrates the generality of the Prophet's message that addresses the whole world, the obligation of following him, and the fact that his Shariah has abrogated all the previous legislations.

Whoever disbelieves in the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), his belief in other prophets (peace be upon all of them) will not be of any avail to him.

Those who have not heard about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the call of Islam has not reached them are excused and their case in the Hereafter is left to Allah Almighty.

A person can embrace Islam even shortly before death, even if he is in severe illness, so long as the soul did not reach the throat (did not witness death).

Belief in the soundness of the disbelievers' religion, including the Jews and the Christians, is disbelief.

The reference in this Hadīth to the Jews and the Christians indicates that the ruling includes the people of other faiths as well. If this is the case with the Jews and the Christians, who received divine scriptures, then it is more emphatic for those who have no scripture, for everyone must embrace Islam and obey its Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

Faith is not one aspect or one part. Rather, it consists of many branches, more than sixty or seventy. The best of these, however, is one single statement: "There is no god but Allah." And the simplest of them is removing anything harmful to passersby, be it a stone, a thorn, or anything else. And modesty is a branch of faith. So righteous deeds are part of faith, as held by Ahl As-Sunnah Wa al-Jamā‘ah and proven true by the Shar‘i proofs, including this Hadīth.

One shall collect a great reward if he were to suppress his anger when capable of unleashing it, especially when he opts for patience against temptations of anger for the sake of Allah. The reward is being summoned on the Day of Judgment in front of everyone to choose from the most beautiful women of Paradise whomever he desires.

'Ā’ishah and 'Abdullāh ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with both of them) inform us that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was close to breathing his last, he kept drawing a piece of cloth upon his face. When he found it hard to breathe due to the throes of death, he would remove it from his face. While being in that tough condition, he said: May Allah curse the Jews and the Christians and expel them out of His mercy. Were it not for the seriousness of this matter, he would not mention it in a situation like that. Hence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade his Ummah from emulating this act, because it was done by the Jews and the Christians and because it is a means conducive to association of partners with Allah Almighty.

It is prohibited to take the graves of the prophets and pious people as places of worship where prayer is offered to Allah, for this is a means to Shirk (polytheism).

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was so attentive and careful about Tawhīd (monotheism) and so fearful about exalting the graves, for this leads to Shirk.

It is permissible to curse the Jews and the Christians and those who follow them in building over the graves and taking them as places of worship.

Building over the graves is one of the customs of the Jews and the Christians, and imitating them is prohibited in this Hadīth.

Offering prayer at the graves or towards them falls under taking the graves as places of worship, even if no mosque is built there.

Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said: {So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know} [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 22]. He prohibited people from taking partners and rivals alongside Him with their worship, when they know that Allah alone is the Creator and the Provider. These partners and rivals are helpless and incapable of doing anything. Ibn ‘Abbās defined Al-‘Andād as rivals and mentioned some examples of how people take others as rivals alongside Allah. Polytheism is to swear or take an oath by other than Allah and it is subtler than the footsteps of an ant on a flat black stone in the darkness of the night. What is even more severe is to equate a rival with Allah, e.g. “By Allah and my life,” or to depend on a cause without depending on the one who caused it. Any issue must be referred to Allah. Examples of things forbidden to say are: “Had it not been for this dog protecting us, thieves would have broken in.” or: “Had it not been for this duck in our house to warn us if a stranger enters, thieves would have broken in.” Additionally, polytheism takes the following forms: “What Allah wills and you as well.” And: “If it weren't for Allah and so-and-so.” Don't make so–and-so equal to Allah. He then emphasized that these are all forms of minor polytheism, but if one were to believe that the person, the duck, or the dog have a role without Allah, this amounts to major polytheism.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated to his Lord to not make his grave like an idol that people worship by extolling it and facing it in prostration. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that Allah Almighty banished and expelled from His mercy those who took the graves of their prophets as places of worship, for taking them as places of worship is conducive to worshiping and having faith in them.

Exceeding the limits set by the Shariah with regard to the graves of the prophets and the righteous people turns them into idols worshiped apart from Allah. So, we should beware of the means leading to Shirk (polytheism).

It is not permissible to visit the graves to show reverence to them and perform worship there, regardless of the closeness of those buried to Allah.

It is prohibited to build mosques over the graves.

It is prohibited to perform prayer at the graves, even if no mosque is built there, except for prayer for a dead person upon whom the funeral prayer has not been offered.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that the believer might be afflicted with personal, family, financial, or other crises. If he is patient, Allah will reward him. The more terrible the crisis, the greater the reward one gets from Allah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) further indicates that tribulations are a sign that Allah loves a believer, and that Allah's predetermination is inevitable. However, the person who is patient and content, Allah will reward him by being pleased with him. That indeed is a satisfactory reward. On the other hand, the person who is discontent and bitter with Allah's decree, Allah will be dissatisfied and angry with him. That is an appropriate punishment.

Afflictions expiate sins unless they lead to the abandonment of an obligation, like patience, or the perpetration of wrongdoing, like tearing up one’s clothes or slapping one’s cheeks.

It establishes the attribute of love for Allah Almighty in a way that befits His majesty.

An affliction to the believer is one of the signs of faith.

It establishes the attribute of contentment and discontentment for Allah Almighty in a way that befits His majesty.

It is recommended to show contentment with Allah’s decree and predestination.

It is prohibited to be discontent with Allah’s decree and predestination.

It urges us to endure afflictions patiently.

A person may dislike something whereas it is good for him.

It establishes Allah’s wisdom in His actions.

3) One reaps what he sows.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Allah Almighty said: I am the One Who is most free from want of partners. He is Self-Sufficient beyond the need for anything; and if a person performs any good deed and devotes it to Allah and others, Allah discards this deed and does not accept it from him, and He turns it back to him. So, we should make our deeds sincerely devoted to Allah Almighty, for He only accepts what is done purely for His sake.

This serves as a warning about polytheism in all its forms and means that it prevents virtuous deeds from being accepted.

Our sense of Allah's self-sufficiency and greatness helps us do honorable deeds with sincerity to Him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) talked about his status in the sight of Allah Almighty and that it reached the highest level of love as reached by Abraham (peace be upon him). That is why he denied that he should have an intimate friend other than Allah, for his heart was full of love and exaltation for Allah and knowledge about Him; so, it does not have room for anyone else. Had he taken an intimate friend from among the people, he would have been Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Then, he warned against exceeding the permissible bounds regarding love, as done by the Jews and the Christians regarding the graves of their prophets and righteous people, so much that they turned them into polytheistic gods to be worshiped apart from Allah and built places of worship over those graves. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade his Ummah from doing what they did.

This points out the merit of Abu Bakr as-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him). He was the best among the Companions and the most entitled to succeed the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) after his death.

Building places of worship over graves is one of the evil acts done by previous nations.

It is prohibited to take graves as places of worship, with prayer being offered therein or towards them, or to construct places of worship or domes over them, lest this should lead to polytheism.

It warns against going to extremes in revering the righteous people for this is conducive to polytheism.

It demonstrates the seriousness of what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned of, as he stressed it five days before his death.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbids Muslims from saying: "What Allah wills and what so-and-so wills" in their speech, or saying: "What Allah wills and so-and-so". This is because Allah's will and determination are absolute and none shares them with Him. but using the conjunctive "and" denotes associating someone with Allah and regarding them as equals. However, one should say: What Allah wills, then what so-and-so wills; thus, making the slave's will subordinate to Allah's will by saying "then" instead of "and", since "then" denotes sequence with a gap in time between the two things in sequence.

The prohibition of saying: "What Allah wills and what you will" and similar phrases where the conjunctive "and" is used to join something with the name of Allah, as this is deemed from the verbal Shirk.

The permissibility of saying: "What Allah wills, then what you will" and similar phrases where the conjunctive "then" is used to join something with the name of Allah, as this does not involve any prohibition.

Establishing will for Allah and for the slave and the fact that the slave's will follows the will of Allah Almighty.

The prohibition of associating partners to Allah in His will even verbally.

If the sayer believes that the slave's will is equal to the will of Allah Almighty in terms of comprehensiveness and absoluteness, or believes that the slave has an independent will, then, this constitutes major Shirk (polytheism). However, if he believes that he comes in a lower rank, then, this is minor Shirk.

Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: My swearing by Allah about something I am lying about, assuming that this might happen, is more beloved to me than swearing by anything other than Allah about something I am truthful about. Thus, he gave precedence to swearing by Allah while lying over swearing by other than Him while being truthful. This is because swearing by Allah in this case entails the good deed of monotheism as well as the sin of lying, whereas swearing by other than Allah while being truthful entails the good deed of honesty as well as the sin of polytheism. Nevertheless, the reward for monotheism is definitely greater than the reward for honesty, and the sin of lying is undoubtedly less serious than the sin of polytheism.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that Allah Almighty gets jealous, hates, and detests. Likewise, the believer gets jealous, hates, and detests. The reason why Allah gets jealous is when the believer commits shameful acts that Allah has made unlawful for him like adultery, sodomy, theft, consuming alcohol, etc.

Being wary of Allah's wrath and punishment when His prohibitions are committed.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs what some people from his Ummah will be like, after his time, as they would strictly follow the way of the Jews and Christians in their beliefs, deeds, habits, and traditions, span by span and cubit by cubit, even if they entered the hole of a lizard, they would enter behind them.

This is one of the signs of his prophethood, as he foretold it before it occurred, and it happened just as he said.

It is forbidden for Muslims to imitate the disbelievers, whether in their beliefs, acts of worship, festivals, or costumes.

Clarification of abstract meanings through tangible examples is one of the educational methods in Islam.

Dabb: an animal whose whole is extremely dark and has a nasty smell. It is from the reptiles that are frequently found in deserts. The hole of the Dabb is particularly mentioned because it is so narrow and bad, and despite this, if they entered such a bad and narrow place, they would follow them—out of following their traces and adopting their methods—and Allah is the One to be sought for help.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that whoever swears by other than Allah and His names and attributes has disbelieved in Allah or associated partners with Him. This is because swearing entails extolment of the one by whom swearing is done, whereas all greatness belongs to Allah alone. So, we must only swear by Allah, His names, and attributes. This type of swearing falls under minor polytheism. However, if the swearer extols what he swears by like the extolment of Allah or greater, then his swearing constitutes major polytheism.

Extolment by swearing is a right only due to Allah Almighty. So, we should only swear by Allah and His names and attributes.

It points out the keenness of the Companions to enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, particularly if the wrong act pertains to polytheism or disbelief.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tells about the hypocrites and their laziness when it comes to attending the prayer, especially the 'Ishā' and Fajr prayers, and that if they were to know the amount of reward for attending them along with the Muslim congregation, they would come to it even if they had to crawl like infants upon their hands and knees. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) thought of ordering the prayer to be commenced and appointing someone to lead the people in prayer instead of him. Then he would go, along with people carrying firewood, to men who were not attending the congregational prayer and burn their houses with fire, given the gravity of their sin in doing so. Yet, he did not do that because the houses contained women, innocent children, and others with valid excuses for not attending the prayer - for they committed no sin.

The graveness of the failure to attend the congregational prayer in the mosque.

The hypocrites would seek nothing out of their worship but show-off and reputation, for they would only attend prayers when people could see them.

The reward for offering the ‘Ishā’ and Fajr prayers in the congregation is great, and they are worthy of being attended even if people have to crawl.

Regularly attending the ‘Ishā’ and Fajr prayers protects from hypocrisy, and the failure to participate in them is one of the traits of the hypocrites.

Allah, the Almighty, will call out to the people at the place of the standing on the Day of Judgment, saying: "Where are those who loved each other for My glory?" He will ask about them despite the fact that He knows where they are and everything else about them. He will declare their virtue at that time and place, to show His greatness. It means, where are those who loved each other for My glory and grandeur and not for any worldly purpose. Then, Allah, the Almighty, will say: "Today, I will shelter them under My shade." The relation of "shade" to Allah is that of honor. What is meant is the shade of the Throne. According to a version other than that in Sahīh Muslim: "besides the shade of My Throne." "On the Day wherein there is no shade but My shade." i.e. on that day, there will be no shade but that of the Throne of the Most Merciful.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that whoever guides people, leads them, and urges them, with words or deeds, to adopt a path of truth and goodness will attain a reward similar to that attained by those who followed him without diminishing the followers' reward in any way. On the other hand, whoever guides and leads people, with words or deeds, to a path of falsehood and evil that involves sin, misdeed, or something prohibited will incur guilt and sin similar to those incurred by the ones who followed him without diminishing their sins in any way.

The merit of calling to guidance, whether little or great, and the fact that the caller obtains a reward similar to that of the doer, and this is out of Allah's great favor and perfect generosity.

The danger of calling to misguidance, whether little or great, and the fact that the caller incurs a sin similar to that of the doer.

Every deed has a recompense of the same kind, so, whoever calls to goodness will obtain a reward similar to that of the doer, and whoever calls to evil will incur a sin similar to that of the doer.

A Muslim must beware of being taken as an example if he commits a sin publicly and people see him, as he will be held sinful because of those who imitate him, even if he does not urge them to do that.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs about the most wicked people; they are those who will be alive and witness the advent of the Hour, as well as those who take the graves as places of worship and pray at or towards them.

Prohibition of building mosques over the graves, for it is a means that leads to Shirk (polytheism).

Prohibition of performing prayer at the graves, even if there is no building because "Masjid" (mosque) is a term that refers to the place where Sujūd (prostration) is made, even if there is no building.

Whoever takes the graves of the righteous as places of worship is counted among the most wicked people, even if he claims that his intention is to draw closer to Allah Almighty.

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) expresses his disapproval concerning the attitude of some people who used to attend his session from amongst the laymen, and who would display fear on hearing Hadīths about Allah's attributes. They would shiver out of their denial of that. They did not duly believe in what was authentically reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and whose meaning was known from the Qur'an, although it is the truth about which no believer doubts. Others, however, would interpret them in a way different from that intended by Allah, thereby exposing themselves to ruin.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that what he fears most for his Ummah is minor Shirk, which is showing off, i.e., doing good deeds for the sake of people. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs of the punishment of those who show off with their good deeds as it will be said to them on the Day of Judgment: Go to those for the sake of whom you offered your good deeds and see if they have the ability to reward you for such deeds.

Good deeds must be devoted to Allah Almighty with full sincerity and warning of ostentation must be avoided.

The Prophet's great compassion towards his Ummah and his keenness to guide and advise them.

If this is the Prophet's fear for his Companions, who are the most noble in terms of righteousness, then, the fear for those who succeed them is far greater.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned against Tiyarah, which is regarding something, audible or visible, as a bad omen whether it is from birds, animals, people with deformities, numbers, days, etc. He mentioned the "Tayr" (bird) in specific because it was commonly known during the pre-Islamic era of ignorance, as a bird would be urged to fly when someone intended to do something like travel, trade, or anything else. If the bird flew to the right, he would take this as a good omen and proceed with what he intended, whereas if the bird flew to the left, he would take this as a bad omen and refrain from doing what he intended. He informed us that it is Shirk. In fact, belief in bad omens is Shirk because none can bring goodness except Allah and none can ward off evil except Allah, alone with no partner. Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that a Muslim may feel in his heart something of this pessimism; however, he must dispel it with reliance on Allah along with utilizing the available means.

Tiyarah is Shirk because it entails the heart's attachment to other than Allah.

The importance of repeating significant issues to be memorized and to settle in the hearts.

Tiyarah is dispelled by reliance on Allah Almighty.

The command to rely on Allah alone and to have one's heart attached to Him.

‘Adiyy ibn Hātim, a noble Companion, heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recite a verse indicating that the Jews and Christians took their scholars and devout people as deities. They would legislate for them rulings opposite to Allah's legislations and would be obeyed. On hearing the verse, ‘Adiyy could not understand what it means, because he thought that worship was confined to prostration and similar acts. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that part of worshipping the rabbis and monks lies in obeying them in forbidding the lawful and allowing the forbidden, thus contradicting the divine and prophetic legislation.

It is major polytheism to obey scholars or other individuals in changing the rulings of Allah Almighty if one knows they are contradicting the Shariah of Allah.

Determining the lawful and the unlawful is the right of Allah Almighty.

It demonstrates one of the kinds of polytheism, namely the polytheism of obedience.

The legitimacy of teaching the ignorant.

Worship is a comprehensive term that includes all words and deeds, inward and outward, that are dear and pleasing to the Almighty Lord.

It shows the misguidance of rabbis and monks.

It proves that the Jews and Christians are polytheists.

The core of all messengers’ religion is one, namely monotheism.

Obedience to a created being that involves disobedience to the Creator is a form of worship to him.

One is required to ask the scholars about unknown or unclear rulings.

The Companions were keen on learning.

Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that a man from the Jewish scholars came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him that they find in their scriptures that on the Day of Judgment Allah, the Almighty, will put the heavens on one finger, the earths on one finger, the trees on one finger, the dust on one finger, and – according to one narration – the water on one finger, and all other created things on one of His fingers, which are five, as related in authentic narrations, but are not like the fingers of creatures. Then, revealing some of His power and grandeur, Allah, the Almighty, will shake all of them and proclaim His real dominion, absolute control, and true divinity. In confirmation of the statement made by the learned man, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) laughed so hard that his premolars were visible and he then recited: {They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Judgment.} [Sūrat Az-Zumar: 67]

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) relates to us in this Hadīth that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed them that Allah, the Almighty, would fold up the seven heavens on the Day of Judgment and place them in His right hand and would fold up the seven earths and seize them with His left hand; and each time he folds one of these, He will call out the mighty and arrogant ones, belittling them and declaring that He is the true Owner of the dominion who never weakens or perishes. All others, rulers and ruled, just and unjust, will certainly perish and will stand humiliated in front of Him. He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.

A group of people came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and on reaching him, they said - praising him - some words that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked. They said: "You are our master." But the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "The Master is Allah," Who possesses full sovereignty over His creation and they are His slaves. They also said: You are "the best of us in superiority" and the highest among us in rank, honor, and in merit. And you are "the greatest among us in bounteousness" and the most giving, the loftiest, and the most prestigious among us. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then advised them to say what they would typically say without affectation and not to be dragged by the devil to exaggeration and flattery that lead to committing what is prohibited of Shirk (polytheism) and its means.

This Hadīth shows how the Prophet's Companions held and revered him in high esteem.

Prohibiting affectation in words and encouraging the act of speaking moderately.

Protecting Tawhīd (monotheism) from words and deeds that could violate it.

Prohibition of exaggeration in praising, which is one of the devil's access points.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is the master of the children of Adam, and what is mentioned in the Hadīth is an expression of humility and fear for them lest they exaggerate in honoring him.

When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) to Yemen to call its people to Allah and teach them, he clarified to him that he would meet Christian people and that he should first call them to what is more important and then to what is less important, and so on. He should first call them to reform their creed by testifying that none is worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. This is because they enter Islam with this testimony. If they complied with that, he should then enjoin them to establish the prayer, for it is the most important obligation after the testimony of Tawhīd (monotheistic belief). If they established the prayer, he should then order the rich amongst them to pay Zakah on their property to the poor amongst them. Thereafter, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned him not to take their best property; instead, it is required to adopt a moderate approach in this regard. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) instructed him to avoid oppression, lest an oppressed person might supplicate to Allah against him, as his supplication is readily answered.

The testimony that none is worthy of worship except Allah means that we should devote worship to Allah Almighty alone and shun the worship of all other things.

The testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah means to have faith in him and what he came with, to believe in him, and to believe that he is the last Messenger sent by Allah to all humankind.

Speaking to a knowledgeable person or someone with certain misconceptions differs from speaking to an ignorant one. Hence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) alerted Mu‘ādh with his words: "You will come to a people of the Scripture."

It is important for a Muslim to have proper knowledge of his religion to get rid of the misconceptions of those who raise them.

It demonstrates the invalidity of the religion of the Jews and the Christians after the mission of Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and that they are not among the people who will attain salvation on the Day of Judgment unless they enter the religion of Islam and believe in the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) will come on the Day of Resurrection and prostrate to Allah and supplicate to Him. Then Allah will allow him to make the major intercession. His Lord will say to him: "Ask and you will be given, intercede and your intercession will be fulfilled." i.e. your request is accepted and your intercession is accepted.

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that he was with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the Day of Nahr, the morning of stoning Jamrat al-‘Aqabah during the Farewell Hajj. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to pick up pebbles for stoning the Jamrahs (stoning pillars), so he picked up seven pebbles for him, each was the size of a chickpea or a hazelnut. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) put them in his hand and then moved them and said: Throw pebbles that are equal in size to these ones. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then, warned against immoderation, strictness, and exceeding the limits in religious matters because what destroyed the previous nations were immoderation, exaggeration, and strictness in religious matters.

Prohibiting immoderation in religion and pointing out its bad consequences and the fact that it leads to destruction.

Learning a lesson from the previous nations to avoid the mistakes they had made.

Encouragement of adherence to the Sunnah.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the ruling on treating the bewitched person in the way that was commonly practiced in the pre-Islamic era, such as counteracting magic with magic. He replied by saying that it was an act of the devil or carried out by the devil. This is because such a way of treatment involves magic and satanic methods, and is thus prohibited and tantamount to disbelief. However, there is a permissible type of Nushrah, which involves neutralizing magic by using Ruqyah, finding the magic spell and breaking it by hand along with reciting the Qur'an, or by taking lawful medications.

The legitimacy of asking the scholars about unambiguous rulings so as to avoid falling into what is prohibited.

It is prohibited to perform Nushrah (charm for one who is possessed) in the way it was done in Jāhiliyyah (the pre-Islamic period), for it is sorcery, which is a form of disbelief.

The works of Satan are all prohibited.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prohibits immoderateness and exceeding the Shariah-prescribed limit in praising him and forbids ascribing to himself the peculiar attributes and actions of Allah or knowledge of the unseen, or that he should be supplicated to along with Allah, as the Christians did with Jesus, the son of Mary (peace be upon him). Then, he made it clear that he is one of the servants of Allah and commanded us to call him: the servant and Messenger of Allah.

It warns against exceeding the Shariah-prescribed limit in extolling and praising, for this leads to polytheism.

What the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned about did take place within this Ummah, as a group of people went to extremes regarding the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and another group did the same regarding the members of his household and another group did it for the pious figures. So, they fell into polytheism.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) described himself as a slave of Allah, thus pointing out that he is merely His slave, and it is not permissible to devote to him anything of the Lord's characteristics.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) described himself as the Messenger of Allah, thus pointing out that he is a messenger sent by Allah, and so we are obligated to believe and follow him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified some of the practices of Jāhliyyah (the pre-Islamic era of ignorance) by way of warning and stressing the fact that all matters are in the Hand of Allah and nothing occurs except with His command and decree. These practices are: First: The people of Jāhliyyah used to think that a disease was contagious by itself. However, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade such a belief that a disease could be naturally transmitted from one sick person to another, as Allah is the Disposer of the universe and the One Who sends down the disease and lifts it, and this only occurs according to His will and decree. Second: The people of Jāhliyyah used to make a bird fly when setting out on a journey or for trade. If the bird flew towards the right, they would take that as a good omen, but if it flew towards the left, they would consider this an evil omen and would return. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade such an act of taking birds as a bad omen and made it clear that it is a false belief. Third: The people of Jāhiliyyah used to say that if an owl fell on a house, its dwellers would be stricken by a disaster, but again the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade taking this as an evil omen. Fourth: He forbade taking the month of Safar, which is the second month in the lunar calendar, as a bad omen. It is said that "Safar" is: a snake in the stomach that affects cattle and people, claiming that it is more contagious than scabies; however, he negated such a belief. Fifth: He commanded that one should move far from the leper as he would move far from the lion as a precaution and to seek one's safety and utilize the available means as commanded by Allah. Leprosy: a disease that eats away a man's organs.

It is obligatory to rely upon Allah, depend on Him, and utilize the permissible means.

It is obligatory to believe in Allah's decree and predestination and to believe that causes lie in the Hand of Allah and that He is the One Who makes them effective or ineffective.

Invalidating the practice of some people who take bad omens in certain colors like black and red, or certain numbers, names, persons, or disabled people.

The prohibition of approaching a leper, and similarly others afflicted with contagious diseases, is one of the causes that commonly lead to their effects as destined by Allah. So, causes do not act independently; rather, Allah is the One Who deprives them of their powers, if He wills, and they become thus of no effect, or if He wills, He keeps their powers and they, thus, cause an effect.

"Nushrah" means undoing magic, and the apparent meaning of Al-Hasan's statement is that it is absolutely prohibited, because no one can undo magic except someone who has knowledge of magic. His words, thus, refer to undoing magic with magic, which is a practice of the devil. Ibn Al-Qayyim spoke in detail about this issue, and the summary of what he said is that treating the enchanted person with permissible medicine and recitation of the Qur'an is something permissible; but treating him with similar magic is unlawful.

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) informs us in this reported citation that the seven heavens and the seven earths with all their greatness are, in proportion to Allah's palm, like the little mustard seed in the palm of one of us. This is a comparison of proportion, not a comparison of Allah's palm to the human palm, as the attributes of Allah do not resemble any of the attributes of His creation and He resembles none in His essence.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) here says that the Kursi, despite its hugeness, is in comparison to the Throne like an iron ring thrown in a boundless desert on earth. This indicates the greatness and absolute power of its Creator.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the happiest of people to receive his intercession on the Day of Judgment is the one who says, "there is no god but Allah" sincerely from his heart; that's no one is worthy of worship except Allah, and he should be free from polytheism and show-off.

It establishes the intercession of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the Hereafter, and that it would only be granted to monotheist believers.

The Prophet's intercession is his earnest supplication to Allah Almighty regarding the monotheistic believers who deserve to enter Hellfire not to enter it and those of them who entered it to be taken out of it.

It points out the merit and profound effect of the testimony of faith being sincerely uttered for Allah Almighty.

To actualize the testimony of faith, one should know its meaning and act according to it.

It demonstrates the merit of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and his keenness to seek knowledge.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that whoever refrains from doing anything that he had intended to do out of belief in bad omens, has in some sense committed polytheism. When the Companions asked him about the expiation of this major sin, he instructed them to say those noble words mentioned in the Hadīth. This homily indicates entrusting all affairs to Allah and negating omnipotence from anyone other than Him.

It establishes the polytheism of a person who is deterred by an evil omen from pursuing his course of action.

The repentance of a polytheist is accepted.

It guides to what a person should say if he is influenced by evil omens.

Good and evil are predestined by Allah Almighty.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that whoever utters the word of Tawhīd (monotheism), knows its meaning and acts accordingly, and bears witness that Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is the slave and Messenger of Allah, acknowledges the fact that Jesus is a slave of Allah and a messenger from Him, whom Allah created by saying: "Be" and he was, and that he was one of the souls created by Allah, and declares his mother (Mary) innocent of the Jews' accusations, and believes that Paradise is true and Hellfire is true while believing in their existence and in their being bliss and punishment from Allah, and dies in this state, he will be admitted to Paradise even if he has been negligent in performing acts of obedience and has committed sins.

Allah Almighty created Jesus, son of Mary, by the word (Be) without a father.

Combining the two facts that Jesus and Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon them both) are both slaves of Allah as well as His messengers. So they are Allah's messengers, thus, they must not be rejected; and they are Allah's slaves, thus, they must not be worshipped.

The merit of Tawhīd and how it expiates sins, and the fact that the monotheist will be eventually admitted to Paradise, even if he commits some sins.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that whoever dies while not associating anything as a partner with Allah will end up in Paradise, even if he is punished for some of his sins; and that whoever dies while associating anything as a partner with Allah will abide in Hellfire forever.

This points out the merit of monotheist belief and that it is the means of salvation from an eternal stay in Hellfire.

Paradise and Hellfire are close to people, and only death separates them.

It warns against polytheism, little or much, for salvation from Hellfire is attained by avoiding it.

What matters in one's deeds is how they end up.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that whoever devotes anything that must be devoted exclusively to Allah to other than Him, like supplicating other than Allah or seeking relief with other than Him, and dies in this state will be from the dwellers of Hellfire. Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) added that whoever dies while not associating anything with Allah will be eventually admitted to Paradise.

Du‘ā’ (supplication) is an act of worship that must be exclusively devoted to Allah Almighty.

The merit of Tawhīd and that whoever dies while upon Tawhīd will be admitted to Paradise, even if punished for some of his sins first.

The danger of Shirk (polytheism) and that whoever dies upon Shirk will enter Hellfire.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs about the failure and loss of those who go to extremes - without guidance or knowledge - in their religious and worldly affairs and in their words and deeds, exceeding the Shariah-the prescribed limit outlined by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

It prohibits extremism and immoderation in all matters and encourages its avoidance in everything, particularly in worship and the extolling of righteous people.

Seeking what is more perfect in worship and in other things is commendable, and it should be achieved by adhering to Shariah.

It is recommended to stress important things, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated his statement three times.

It shows the tolerance and ease of Islam.

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) explained this noble verse; he said that the idols which Allah, the Exalted, mentioned – which the people of Nūh worshiped generations after generations after Nūh (peace be upon him) had prohibited them from polytheism – are originally names of pious men. They, however, extolled them extremely. So Satan deceived them until they made statues, which eventually led to those statues being worshiped.

Immoderate reverence of pious people can lead to worshiping them apart from Allah and eventually abandoning the religion altogether.

It warns of creating and hanging images, especially the images of great figures.

It warns against the cunning of Satan and his way of presenting falsehood under the guise of the truth.

We are warned of religious innovations, even if they are done with a good intention.

Making images is one of the means that lead to polytheism. So, we should beware of making images of living beings.

It indicates the worth of knowledge and the harm of losing it.

The loss of knowledge is caused by the death of scholars.

It warns against imitation and points out that it can lead to deviation from Islam.

Polytheism existed in the past nations.

These five names mentioned in the Hadīth belong to some objects of worship taken by the people of Nūh (Noah).

It shows how the people of falsehood cooperate together and support one another.

It is permissible to supplicate against the disbelievers in general.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that transitive disease in which the people of the pre-Islamic era of ignorance used to believe, thinking the disease is transmitted by itself to others apart from Allah's decree, is false. And the Tiyarah, which is regarding something audible or visible, as an evil omen whether it is from birds, animals, people with deformities, numbers, days, etc. He mentioned the "Tayr" (bird) specifically because it was commonly known during the pre-Islamic era of ignorance, as a bird would be urged to fly when someone intended to do something like travel, trade, or anything else. If the bird flew to the right, he would take this as a good omen and proceed with what he intended, whereas if the bird flew to the left, he would take this as a bad omen and refrain from doing what he intended. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that he liked the good omen, which is the happiness and joy that one feels when hearing a good word that makes him have good expectations of his Lord.

Reliance on Allah Almighty and realizing that none brings goodness except Allah and none wards off harm except Allah.

Tiyarah, which is believing in bad omens and refraining from doing things based on that, is prohibited.

A good omen is not part of the forbidden Tiyarah; rather, it signifies having good expectations of Allah Almighty.

Everything happens in compliance with the decree of Allah Almighty, alone with no partner.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the reward of the prayer that a man offers in congregation exceeds the reward of the prayer he offers in his home or market, i.e. the prayer which he offers alone, as inferred by comparing it to the congregational prayer, and because the prayers offered at home or in the market are performed individually in most cases. Congregational prayer exceeds the prayer one offers alone by the amount of twenty five times. His statement: "That is because," if "that" here refers to the virtue of prayer in congregation over praying alone, then this necessitates that this virtue is restricted to offering the prayer in congregation in the mosque. His statement: "Because if he," i.e. the person, if he performs ablution thoroughly, i.e. properly by doing the Sunnah acts and observes its etiquettes, then sets out in the direction of the mosque, with nothing causing him to go out but the prayer (if something else causes him to go out, or he goes out because of something else along with the prayer, then he will miss the following merits: He will not take a step except that he is raised one degree by it, and one sin is removed from his account, i.e. the minor sins involving rights of Allah, the Exalted. When he finishes his prayer, the angels continue to supplicate Allah for him, seeking mercy and forgiveness for him, as long as he is in his place of prayer, i.e. sitting therein. It is also probable that it means: as long as he remains in it (the place) even lying down, and does not invalidate his ablution. The praying person remains in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer," i.e. the period of time during which he is waiting for it.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that having love for the Ansār from among the people of Madīnah is a sign of perfect faith given their precedence in supporting Islam and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), their keenness on sheltering Muslims, and their sacrifice of their properties and lives in the cause of Allah; and hating them is a sign of hypocrisy. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then clarified that Allah loves whoever loves the Ansār and hates whoever hates them.

The Hadīth reveals the remarkable excellence of the Ansār since loving them is taken as a sign of faith and freedom from hypocrisy.

Loving the allies of Allah and supporting them is a cause for attaining the love of Allah.

The merit of the first forerunners in Islam.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave glad tidings to Khadījah (may Allah be pleased with her) - conveyed to him by Jibrīl (peace be upon him) - of a palace in Paradise built of hollow pearls wherein there will be neither any noise nor any fatigue. The mother of the believers Khadījah was the first woman the Prophet married at the age of 25 while she was 40, or 28, and had been previously married. She gave him his four daughters and three, or two, sons. He did not marry another woman till Khadījah's death. She was a smart and wise woman whose great acts are well known.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urges the Companions to offer good deeds and fear Allah as much as they can, with neither extremism nor negligence, and to intend what is right by their deeds through being fully sincere to Allah and complying with the Sunnah so their deeds would be accepted and would be a cause for bestowing mercy upon them. Then he informed them that none of them would be saved by his deeds alone; rather, there must be Allah's mercy. They said: O Messenger of Allah, not even you would be saved by your deeds despite their great significance? He said: Not even me unless Allah conceals me by virtue of His mercy.

An-Nawawi said: (Pursue the right course and be as close to it as possible): seek the right path and act upon it, but if you are unable to do so, then be as close to it as possible, i.e., keep close to it. The right course: the sound path, which lies in the middle between exessiveness and negligence, so neither go to extreme nor be negligent.

Ibn Bāz said: Righteous deeds are the cause of entering Paradise just as evil deeds are the cause of entering Hellfire. The Hadīth shows that their admittance to Paradise is not guaranteed because of their deeds alone; rather, this must be joined with the pardon and mercy of Allah Almighty. So they entered Paradise via their deeds, but this has been affirmed by Allah's mercy, pardon, and forgiveness.

One should not be proud or amazed by his deeds, no matter what level it reaches, because the right of Allah is greater than his deeds. Rather, one must combine fear and hope all together.

Allah's favor and mercy upon His slaves are far broader than their deeds.

Righteous deeds are a cause for entering Paradise, but attaining it is only through the favor and mercy of Allah.

Al-Kirmāni said: "If all people do not enter Paradise except by Allah's mercy, then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is particularly mentioned here to prove that although he will definitely enter Paradise and he will still not enter it except by Allah's mercy, then this applies to others with greater reason."

An-Nawawi said: Regarding the meaning of Allah's statement: {Enter Paradise for what you used to do.} [Surat an-Nahl: 32], {That is Paradise, which you will inherit for what you used to do.} [Surat az-Zukhruf: 72] and the like of these verses denoting that deeds are a means of entering Paradise, they do not contradict these Hadīths. Rather, such verses mean that deeds are a means of entering Paradise; however, guidance to such deeds, adopting sincerity in performing them, and their acceptance are all attained by Allah's mercy and favor. Hence, it is true that one does not enter Paradise by his deeds merely, which is the indication of the Hadīths, and it is also true that he enters it by his deeds, i.e., because of them, which is a sign of Allah's mercy.

Ibn Al-Jawzi said: This leads to four possibilities. First: Guidance to perform good deeds is from Allah's mercy, and had it not been for Allah's prior mercy, one would not have attained the faith or obedience that results in salvation. Second: The slave's benefits are for his Master; thus, his deeds are due to His Lord, and no matter how great the reward He bestows upon him is, it indicates His grace. Third: It is mentioned in some Hadīths that the act of entering Paradise itself is by virtue of Allah's mercy, but determining the degree therein depends on deeds. Fourth: Acts of obedience are performed in a brief time; however, the reward is endless. So, when an eternal blessing is given as a reward for something transient, this indicates Allah's favor rather than giving one compensation for his deeds.

Ar-Rāfi‘i said: One should not rely upon his good deeds when seeking salvation and high ranks because he acted only by virtue of success from Allah and was able to avoid sins only through Allah's protection. So, all of this occurs with Allah's favor and mercy.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that no prophet had been sent by Allah to a nation before him except that he had close friends, supporters, and sincere fighters from among his nation who were qualified to succeed him, adopting his way and following his command. These righteous predecessors would, then, be succeeded by people who were void of goodness; claiming what they did not practice and practicing what they were not commanded to do. Whoever strives against them with his hand is a believer, whoever strives against them with his tongue is a believer, and whoever strives against them with his heart is a believer, but beyond that, there is no mustard seed's weight of faith.

Encouraging the struggle against those who violate the Shariah with their words and deeds.

The heart's failure to disapprove of evil indicates the weakness or loss of faith.

Allah Almighty facilitates for the prophets those who convey their message after them.

Whoever seeks salvation must follow the prophets' methodology because every way other than theirs leads to destruction and misguidance.

As the time gap separating people from the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and that of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) grows bigger, people become more liable to abandoning the Sunnah, following their whims, and introducing religious innovations.

Clarifying the levels of Jihad and how it should be carried out with the hand for whoever is capable of change, like the guardians, rulers, and leaders; with the words through demonstrating and advocating the right; and with the heart through disapproving evil, refraining from loving it or being content with it.

It is obligatory to enjoin good and forbid evil.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Allah granted him five privileges that none of the prophets before him had been granted. First: I was made victorious through terror that was cast into my enemies' hearts, although a distance of one month's journey separated us. Second: The earth has been made for us a place of worship where we can pray wherever we are, and it has been made for us a means of purification through dust when water is not an option. Third: The spoils of war, which Muslims take during their war against the disbelievers, have been made lawful for us. Fourth: I have been granted the major intercession to relieve people of the horror of the Day of Judgment. Fifth: "I have been sent to all creation": mankind and jinn, unlike the prophets before him who were sent to their people only.

It is permissible for one to enumerate Allah's favors on him by way of acknowledgment and expressing gratitude to Allah.

The favor that Allah Almighty has bestowed upon this Ummah and its Prophet by granting them these privileges.

It is obligatory to offer the prayer in its due time, whatever the case is, fulfilling its conditions, pillars, and obligatory acts according to one's ability.

The intercession that has been granted to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) exclusively apart from other prophets has more than one type, including his intercession for people to begin the judgment between them, his intercession for the people of Paradise to be admitted to Paradise, and his special intercession for his uncle Abu Tālib to alleviate the fire for him, not to be brought out thereof because he died as a disbeliever.

Many other privileges have been granted to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and were not mentioned in this Hadīth, some of which are: He was granted succinct speech; he was the seal of prophets; our rows have been made like those of the angels, in addition to other privileges.

This Hadīth shows the Prophet's care and compassion towards his followers. As the Companions were with the Prophet, early in the day, there came a group of people, mostly or entirely from Mudar tribe, wearing very simple clothes, which indicated their poverty, and hanging their swords, a sign of readiness to receive order for Jihād. The Prophet's face changed when he saw their poor state despite belonging to Mudar, one of the noblest Arab tribes. So, he entered home and then went out. He ordered Bilāl to proclaim the Adhān and then he offered the prayer and addressed the people. Praising Allah, the Almighty, as usual, he recited the verses that reads: (O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer) [Sūrat An-Nisā':1]; (O you who believe, fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every one look what he has sent forth for the tomorrow. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do) [Sūrat al-Hashr: 18]. Then, he encouraged the people to give charity, and in response they began to give, and a man would give his dinar in charity, another would give a dirham, and others would give their garment or a Sā‘ of wheat or dates. Then, he encouraged charity even if it were half a date. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were most keen on doing good, rushing and vying towards this. One of them came with a bundle that was almost too heavy for him to carry and placed it in front of the Prophet. Seeing all this goodness and generosity, which would meet the need of those poor people, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was very pleased, and he said: "Whosoever introduces a good practice in Islam, there is for him its reward and the reward of those who act upon it after him without anything being diminished from their rewards. And whosoever introduces an evil practice in Islam will shoulder its sin and the sins of all those who will act upon it, without diminishing in any way their burden." "A good practice" here refers to something already established and rooted in the religion, not contrived and added to it.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) relates to us about a group of believers who, on the Day of Judgment, will have pulpits and elevated places where they will sit as a sign of honor for them from Allah. This is due to their love of each other for the sake of Allah and glorifying Him, and their love for each other due to the faith that they are united in. Even the prophets (peace be upon them) will wish to have their status. This does not necessarily mean that they are better than the prophets, because this particular virtue does not supersede the general virtue.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that when the deceased is placed on the bier and carried by men on their shoulders, if the deceased was righteous, it would say: Take me forward, because of the bliss it sees ahead. But if the deceased was not righteous, it would cry out in a terrible voice: Woe to it! Where are they taking it?! Due to the torment it sees ahead. Everything hears its voice except man, and if he could hear it, he would be unconscious from the intensity of what he hears.

The righteous deceased sees the good tidings before being buried, while the disbeliever is distressed and sees the opposite.

Some sounds are heard by creatures other than humans, but humans cannot hear them.

The Sunnah is to carry the funeral bier on the shoulders of men, not women, due to the Prophet's prohibition of women following the funeral procession.

When Allah created Adam, He ordered him to go to a group of angels and greet them with peace and then listen to their response to his greeting because that would be the prescribed greeting for him and his offspring after him who follow the religion of the messengers. So he said: As-Salāmu ‘alaykum (peace be upon you), and they replied: As-Salāmu ‘alayk wa rahmatullāh (peace and mercy of Allah be upon you), adding 'rahmatullāh' (mercy of Allah). This has, thus, become the prescribed wording when greeting and returning the greeting. Other Hadīths had the addition: "wa rahmatullāh wa barakātuh (...and mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you!)"

This Hadīth sets a major principle and guides to a great benefit; it is that a believer should strive to help fulfill the need of others, whether his efforts bear fruit fully or partially or bear no fruit at all. One way to help people is to intercede on behalf of those who need things from the rulers or the dignitaries, or those who can fulfill their needs. Many people avoid to intercede for others if they are not sure whether their intercession would be accepted or not; hence, they miss much reward from Allah, and miss doing a favor to a fellow Muslim. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered his Companions to help the ones with need by interceding with him so that they receive their reward from Allah based on the Prophet's statement: "Intercede and you will receive reward." Good intercession is beloved to Allah; He says in the Quran: {Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a reward therefrom} [Sūrat An-Nisā’: 85]. Along with hastening to receive the reward, the intercessor also hastens to do a favor to his Muslim brother, and that person will owe him. Striving to help people in good things that may or may not bear fruit is indeed an immediate goodness, and a way to train oneself to cooperate in righteousness and piety, and a start to intercede about things which are certain or likely to be fulfilled. The Prophet's statement: "And Allah will decide whatever He wishes on the tongue of His Prophet" means that Allah decrees what He willed in His eternal knowledge as to whether the interceded matter will take place or not. Hence, it is required to intercede and he will be rewarded for his intercession, whether the intercession is accepted or not.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed about some of the qualities of the dwellers of Paradise and those of Hellfire. The majority among the dwellers of Paradise are: "Every weak person who is looked down upon,"  i.e., modest and submissive to Allah Almighty, who humbles himself to Him to the extent that some people may overpower and despise him. If this person, who humbles himself to Allah Almighty, makes an oath by Allah hoping for the generosity of Allah Almighty, He will fulfill it for him and make him realize his oath and will answer his request and supplication. The majority among the dwellers of Hellfire are: every ‘Utul (cruel), i.e., harsh, rude, vehement disputer, or the indecent person who does no good; Jawāzh (greedy), i.e., the arrogant, gluttonous person who has an enormous body and who walks with a conceited gait and adopts bad morals; and Mustakbir (arrogant) for rejecting the truth and looking down upon others.

Encouraging the act of adopting the qualities of the people of Paradise and warning against the qualities of the people of Hellfire.

Modesty with Allah is by humbling oneself to Him and to His commands and prohibitions and by obeying them, and modesty with people is by not treating them arrogantly.

Ibn Hajar said: It means that these are the majority of the dwellers of Paradise and the others are the majority of the dwellers of Hellfire, and it does not mean that they constitute all of the dwellers of both sides.

Meaning of the Hadīth: Hārithah ibn Surāqah (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred during the battle of Badr by an arrow that no one knew where it came from. So, his mother went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him about her son's fate. She was worried that he would not be considered a martyr, because he was killed by a random shot and did not participate in the battle. Another Hadīth reads: "He was killed during the battle of Badr and was hit by an unknown arrow." No one knows the shooter or where it comes from. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported in another Hadīth narrated by Ahmad and An-Nasā'i that when Hārithah went to a high place to patrol and be on the lookout for enemies to inform others about their position, he was shot dead by an arrow. For this reason, his mother (may Allah be pleased with her) said that if her son is in Paradise, she will be forbearing and patient about missing him and seek reward from Allah. Moreover, she will be happy that he was killed in the cause of Allah and has won martyrdom. If he has met another fate, she will bitterly weep for losing him and the loss of his life in vain. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told her that there are many gardens of Paradise. In Al-Bukhāri's narration, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you think that it is only one garden? Verily, there are so many gardens, and he is in the highest Firdaus." This is a unique place, which is the best and highest rank, in Paradise. This is why the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If you ask Allah for something, ask for the Firdaus; it is the best and highest place in Paradise, and above it is the Throne of the Beneficent, and from it originate the rivers of Paradise." Being the best place implies that it is the most spacious as well.

Our prophet related a story about another prophet, saying that his people struck him and as he wiped blood off his face invoking Allah for their forgiveness. This consists in the furthest extent of patience and leniency. Not only did he pray for them but he also found an excuse for them out of sympathy for them due to their ignorance of the facts.

A delegation from some Bedouin tribes came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pretending that they had accepted Islam. They asked the Prophet to send them some people to teach them the Qur'an, so the Prophet sent seventy men who were known as the reciters, because they were diligent in learning the Qur'an and studying it. Their preoccupation with reciting the Qur'an did not prevent them from earning a living and working. Anas says that during the day, they would fetch water and fill the water containers in the mosque to be used for making ablution or drinking or any other purpose. They would collect firewood and sell it and buy food for the people of Suffah and the poor with the proceeds. The people of Suffah were poor people who had no family in Madīnah and slept at the back of the Prophet's mosque in a canopied area called Suffah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent the reciters with those people but when they dismounted at the well of Ma‘ūnah, before reaching their destination - the house of Abu Barā’ ibn Mulā‘ib al-Asinnah - a group of men led by ‘Āmir ibn At-Tufayl attacked the reciters and killed them all. As they were dying they said: "O Allah, convey to our Prophet on our behalf that we have met You in a way that we are pleased with You and You are pleased with us." In another narration they said: "Convey to our people on our behalf that we have truly met our Lord and He was pleased with us and made us pleased." Archangel Jibrīl informed the Prophet that they have met their Lord and that He was pleased with them and He made them pleased, as mentioned in Al-Bukhāri's narration. The Messenger of Allah conveyed this news to his Companions in Madīnah, saying: "Your brothers have been killed and they said: 'O Allah, convey to our Prophet on our behalf that we have met You in a way that we are pleased with You and You are pleased with us.'" This statement of theirs means that Allah, the Almighty, was pleased with them due to their obedience to Him, and that they were pleased with Him due to what He had blessed them with and bestowed upon them of generous favors. The pleasure of Allah with a person entails showering him with His mercy, kindness and all good things.

In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tells us about the virtue of those who practice jihad in Allah's cause. Allah, the Almighty, has prepared for them one hundred degrees in Paradise, the distance between each two degrees is like the distance between the heaven and earth.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Allah Almighty says: I am as My slave thinks of Me, so I treat My slave according to his thoughts about Me when hoping for and expecting pardon, and I do to him what He expects of Me either good or other than that; and I am with him through mercy, success, guidance, care, and support when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly while being alone and in seclusion through Tasbīh (exalting Allah), Tahlīl (proclaiming Allah's oneness), or others, I remember him within Myself. And if he remembers Me in an assembly, I remember him in a larger and better assembly. And whoever draws near to Allah by a handspan, Allah will add to this and draw near to him by a cubit, and if he draws near to Him by a cubit, Allah draws near to him by a fathom. And if he comes walking to Allah, Allah will come to him jogging. When the slave seeks to get closer to his Lord by obeying Him and focusing on Him, the Almighty Lord brings him even closer to Him as a recompense that suits his deed. The more perfect the believer's worship of his Lord is, the closer Allah Almighty brings him, as the bestowal and reward of Allah exceed the slave's deeds and toil. In fact, Allah's reward outweighs the slave's deeds in terms of quality and quantity. The believer, thus, entertains good expectations of Allah, acts, hastens, and increases his good deeds until he meets Allah.

This Hadīth is part of what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) narrates from his Lord and is called a Qudsi or Divine Hadīth. Its wording and meaning are from Allah, yet it does not have the unique characteristics of the Qur’an that include reciting it as a form of worship, getting purified for it, presenting it as a challenge, its miraculousness, etc.

Al-Ājurri said: People of the truth describe Allah Almighty with what He has described Himself and with what His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) described Him, and with what the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) described Him, and this is the methodology of the scholars who have complied and did not innovate. End quote. So, Ahl-us-Sunnah establish for Allah what He has established for Himself of the names and attributes without Tahrīf (distortion), Ta‘tīl (negation), Takyīf (asking how), or Tamthīl (likening). They negate from Allah what He has negated from Himself and keep silent regarding what has neither been negated nor established. Allah Almighty says: {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.}

Having good expectations of Allah must be coupled with action. Al-Hasan al-Basri said: The believer thinks well of his Lord and, thus, performs good deeds, whereas the wrongdoer thinks ill of his Lord and, thus, performs evil deeds.

Al-Qurtubi said: It is said: The meaning of "what My slave thinks of Me" is expecting fulfillment when supplicating, acceptance when repenting, forgiveness when seeking forgiveness, and recompense when fulfilling worship according to its conditions out of firm belief in His true promise. Hence, one must be diligent in carrying out his duties while being certain that Allah accepts and forgives him because He has promised this and He never breaks His promise. However, if one thinks or has doubts that Allah does not accept it and that it will be of no benefit to him, then this is the despair of Allah's mercy, which is from the major sins, and whoever dies on such a belief will be entrusted to his thoughts, as in some narrations of the mentioned Hadīth: "Let My slave think of Me as he wishes." He said: As for expecting forgiveness along with insistence on sins, this is nothing but absolute ignorance and heedlessness.

Encouraging the act of remembering Allah frequently both within yourself and with your tongue. One should fear Allah within himself and in his heart and should remember His greatness and His right. He should also invoke Him, glorify Him, love Him, think well of Him, and sincerely devote his deeds to Him. He should utter with his tongue: "Subhānallāh" (Glorified is Allah), "Al-hamdulillāh" (praise be to Allah), "La ilāha illallāh" (there is no god but Allah), "Allāhu Akbar" (Allah is the Greatest), and "La hawla wala quwwata illa billāh" (there is no power and no strength except with Allah).

Ibn Abi Jamrah said: Whoever remembers Him while feeling fear, He secures him; or, feeling desolate, He provides him with serenity.

"Shibr" (handspan): the distance between the tip of the little finger and the thumb when the hand is outstretched. "Dhirā‘" (cubit): the distance between the tip of the middle finger and the elbow bones. "Bā‘" (fathom): the length of man's both arms, upper arms, and the width of his chest, which is four cubits.

As indicated by the Hadīth, if Allah, the Almighty, wills good for a certain people, He causes their prophet to die before them, and thus he gets to Paradise ahead of them and becomes their intercessor. A similar meaning was expressed in another Hadīth, in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I shall be there at the Basin before you.” In other words, I will be there before you so as to get the water for you. “And if He wills to destroy a people, He punishes them whilst their prophet is alive, witnessing their destruction.” This is similar to what had befallen the people of Prophet Nūh and other prophets (peace be upon them). It is as if Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to tell them about the favor and kindness of their Lord who sent him as a source of mercy for this Muslim Ummah. In the Qur’an, He says: {And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds} [Sūrat al-Anbiyā': 107] Allah, the Almighty, promised the Muslims that He would not punish them while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was still alive among them, and He even bestowed more of His favor and bounty upon them. He says: {But Allah would not punish them while you are among them, and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness.} [Sūrat al-Anfāl: 33]

A man from the people of Najd came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). His hair was disheveled, his voice was loud, and his words could not be understood until he approached the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him about the obligations of Islam. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started with the prayer and informed him that Allah has enjoined upon him five obligatory prayers to be performed every day and night. He said: Do I have to perform any other prayer besides these five prayers? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied: No, unless you choose to perform something of the voluntary prayers. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Among what has been enjoined upon you by Allah is fasting the month of Ramadan. The man said: Do I have to fast any other day besides fasting Ramadan? He said: No, unless you choose to fast voluntarily. Afterward, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned Zakah to him. The man said: Do I have to give any charity besides the obligatory Zakah? He said: No, unless you do so voluntarily. After listening to the Prophet's words about such obligations, the man turned away and swore by Allah that he would adhere to them without any addition or omission. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: If this man is truthful regarding his oath, he will be among the successful.

Tolerance of the Islamic Shariah and how it makes things easy for those who are religiously accountable.

The Prophet's good treatment of this man, as he allowed him to get close to him and ask him.

When calling others to Allah Almighty, one should start with the most important thing, followed by the next in importance.

Islam is both a creed and a code of conduct; hence, deeds without faith are of no avail, and likewise, faith without deeds is of no avail.

The importance of these deeds and the fact that they are from the pillars of Islam.

The Friday prayer is included in the five obligatory prayers because it replaces the Zhuhr prayer on Friday for whomever the Friday prayer is obligatory.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started his instruction with the most crucial obligations of Islam, namely its pillars that follow the two testimonies of faith, as the man was a Muslim. He did not mention Hajj either because this occurred before it was enjoined or because its time had not yet come.

If one performs only what is obligatory according to the Shariah, he will indeed be successful. However, this does not mean that performing voluntary acts of worship is not Sunnah, as such voluntary acts will make up for the shortcomings in the obligations on the Day of Judgment.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the best day upon which the sun has risen is Friday. Some of the characteristics of this day are: that Allah created Adam (peace be upon him) on that day, He admitted him to Paradise on that day and He drove him out therefrom and sent him down to earth on that day, besides the fact that the Hour will not take place except on Friday.

The superiority of Friday over other days of the week.

Encouraging the act of increasing good deeds on Friday and being prepared to receive the mercy of Allah Almighty and ward off His wrath.

It is said that such characteristics that are mentioned in the Hadīth concerning Friday: are not meant to refer to the merit of Friday because expelling Adam from Paradise and the advent of the Hour are not counted as merits. Whereas it is also said: Rather, all of them are merits, and expelling Adam is the cause that led to the existence of his progeny from the messengers, prophets, and the righteous. Moreover, the advent of the Hour is the cause that will hasten the recompense of the righteous and their attainment of the dignities that Allah has prepared for them.

Other characteristics concerning Friday were mentioned, besides the ones mentioned in this version, some of which are: On it, Allah accepted Adam's repentance; on it, his soul was taken, and there is an hour in it that no believer comes upon while praying and asking Allah for something except that He will give it to him.

The best day of the year is ‘Arafah, and it is said: the Day of Nahr (10th of Dhul-Hijjah); the best day of the week is Friday; and the best night is the Nigth of Decree.

‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that they were at the battle of Hunayn, which is the battle of At-Tā’if that took place after the Conquest of Makkah. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fought them, and gained from them a large amount of booty i.e, camels, sheep, dirhams, and dinars. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to Al-Ji‘rānah, which is a place located at the farthest end of the Sacred Precincts of Makkah to the direction of At-Tā’if, and divided the booty between those who participated in this battle. He gave Al-Aqra‘ ibn Hābis 100 camels, and gave ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn 100 camels. He also gave to some of the nobles among the Arabs in order to attract their hearts towards Islam, because if those people embrace Islam due to the gifts and wealth they received, their followers would embrace Islam, and this would give more strength and might to Islam. As for those who were strong in faith, he left them, trusting the faith that they had. After seeing the attitude of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in dividing the booty among the heads of tribes and nobles, and leaving some others (without giving them), a man said: "By Allah! This is a distribution in which justice is not observed, and it is not intended for pleasing Allah." When Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) heard this statement, he rushed towards the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and swore before that if he heard something like that, he would inform him. When Ibn Mas‘ūd informed the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) of the man's statement, his anger intensified and his face changed in color until it was like a pure red dye. Then he said: "Who will observe justice if Allah and His Messenger do not?"; disapproving of the man's statement. Then he said: "May Allah have mercy upon Mūsa; he was hurt more than this but he remained patient.'' When Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the Prophet's condition (i.e. his anger), he said: "If I hear any kind of improper statement from those people, I will not inform the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) of it, because of what I saw of his intense anger, as long as it does not cause any harm to Islam or the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)."

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that Dawūd (peace be upon him) used to eat only from the earnings of his labor. He was a craftsman who was good at making shields and other fighting tools. Since the prophets (peace be upon them) used to work and eat from the earnings of their labor, whether that consisted of craftsmanship, agriculture, sheep herding, etc. This is altogether the reason why those who are of a lesser rank are more required to earn through their own labor and avoid the embarrassment of having to ask people for money.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us in this Hadīth that Prophet Zakariyya (peace be upon him) worked as a carpenter, and he used to earn his sustenance from carpentry.

On the Day of Judgment, the huge bulky man who is proud in this world and behaves arrogantly and tyrannically in his words and actions will not be worth the weight of a mosquito wing in the sight of Allah, nor will he have any value or credit.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that no Muslim covers his fellow Muslim in any matter except that Allah Almighty would cover him on the Day of Judgment, as every deed has a recompense that suits it. Allah's covering for him would be by covering his faults and sins without disclosing them to the people gathered on Judgement Day, or it could be by not holding him accountable for them and not mentioning them to him.

It is legitimate to cover a Muslim if he sins, along with expressing disapproval, offering him advice, and threatening him with Allah. However, if he is from the evildoers and from the corrupt who commit sins and acts of defiant disobedience openly, then he should not be covered, for this would encourage him to commit more sins. Therefore, his case should be referred to the ruler, even if he is to be mentioned, because he is known for his defiant disobedience and sinning.

Urging the act of covering others' faults.

The benefits of covering include: giving the sinner the chance to reconsider his actions and repent to Allah because publicizing defects and faults is from spreading immorality and it spoils the social atmosphere besides tempting people to commit them.

What he meant by the more honorable was himself and his people, and by that Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) recounts that he was traveling with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and there were believers and hypocrites with him. During the journey, the people were suffering severe distress due to a lack of provisions. ‘Abdullāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl (the head of disbelief and hypocrisy) spoke to the people, saying: {Do not spend on those with the Messenger of Allah until they disband} [Sūrat al-Munāfiqūn: 7]. What he meant was: do not give them any money, so they would suffer hunger and therefore disband and leave the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He also said: {If we return to Madīnah, surely the more honorable will expel therefrom the more humble} [Sūrat al-Munāfiqūn: 8], meaning the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). When Zayd ibn Arqam heard what Ibn Salūl said: He went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him of what ‘Abdullāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl had said to warn him of his evil. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) summoned Ibn Salūl, who swore emphatically that he had not said those things. This is the habit of the hypocrites; they can swear a false oath knowing that they are lying. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to accept their overt (deeds) and leave their covert (intentions) to Allah to judge. When Zayd ibn Arqam heard that Ibn Salūl had sworn that he had never made those statements, he was deeply distressed, because the man had sworn and taken an oath before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The people said: "Zayd ibn Arqam lied to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." However, soon Allah, the Almighty, exonerated Zayd and showed him to have been truthful through the verses of Sūrat al-Munāfiqūn. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then invited the hypocrites and their chief, ‘Abdullāh ibn Ubayy, to ask Allah for forgiveness for them for the foul statements they had made. They rejected his invitation in arrogance and in contempt of the fact that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was seeking forgiveness for them from Allah, the Almighty.

‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed her about two men and mentioned that they knew nothing about Islam, because they were showing Islam and hiding their disbelief. The fact that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned these two men in their absence is not considered backbiting, which is forbidden; rather, it is necessary to disclose their reality, so that people who do not know them would not be deceived by their apparent status. The Prophet's statement in this context implies certainty, because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was in fact aware of the hypocrites through revelation from Allah in Sūrat At-Tawbah. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We used to call Sūrat At-Tawbah "Al-Fādihah" (the exposing chapter). Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The verses continued to be revealed and exposing the hypocrites until we were worried (lest we should be counted among them)."

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set forth from Madīnah with his Companions to meet the caravan of Abu Sufyān that had come from Syria heading toward Makkah. The Muslims did not set out to fight; however, Allah made them encounter their enemies without prior planning on their part. Hence, some Companions did not take part in this battle and the Prophet did not reprimand any of them. Then the Prophet camped in Badr before the disbelievers of Quraysh reached the place. He took his position there and when the disbelievers of Quraysh arrived, he said to the Companions: ''Let no one of you advance to anything unless I am ahead of him'", meaning that he forbade them from advancing toward anything until he was closer than them to that thing so that every possible advantage unknown to them could be utilized. Then the Prophet urged the Companions to hasten to a Paradise that was as wide as the heavens and earth, meaning that they should not delay in sacrificing their lives for the sake of Allah, for their promised reward was a Paradise as wide as the heavens and earth. With this he encouraged and motivated them to fight the disbelievers. ‘Umayr ibn al-Humām al-Ansāri was amazed to hear that and asked the Prophet about it again, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, a Paradise as wide as the heavens and earth?!" The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Yes.' Thereupon, ‘Umayr said: "Bakhin! Bakhin!" which is an Arabic expression reflecting astonishment. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him why he said that; i.e. what motivated him to say it, was it fear? He replied: "No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, but I only hoped to be one of its people." Thereupon, the Prophet assured him that he was one of them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave his Companions glad tidings to motivate them to exert themselves in doing the deeds that would make them deserve Paradise. On hearing such glad tidings from the most truthful and most trusted who does not speak from his own inclination, ‘Umayr took out some dates from his quiver and started to eat them. But then he felt that life was too long and said: "If I lived until I finished eating these dates of mine, it would be a long life indeed." So he threw away the dates and proceeded to fight until he was killed.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was with some of the Companions and he asked them three times to give him the pledge of allegiance and covenant to be committed to certain things, which are: First: To worship Allah alone, by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions, and not to associate any partners with Him. Second: To establish the five obligatory prayers every day and night. Third: To hear and obey those who are in charge of Muslims in what is good. Fourth: To ask Allah Almighty for all their needs without asking people for anything, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said it in a low voice. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) acted upon what they had given the pledge to do to the extent that made the Hadīth narrator say: Verily, I saw some of these Companions when the whip of any of them fell, he would not ask anyone to hand it to him; rather, he would dismount and pick it up himself.

Encouraging abstention from asking people and being far above whatever could be called "begging" and not needing people even in the slightest of matters.

The forbidden act of asking is that which is related to worldly affairs, not the one related to knowledge and religious matters.

When the last illness of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) became more intense, he was not able to lead the people in prayer, so he ordered those who were with him to tell Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the prayer. Abu Bakr used to weep much whenever he recited the Qur’an, so ‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) made an excuse for him on account of his weeping. However, in the Hadīth mentioned here, her real intention was not that Abu Bakr should not lead the prayer because of his weeping while reciting the Qur'an; rather, she feared that people would regard her father, Abu Bakr, as a bad omen for taking the place of the Prophet in leading the prayer (i.e. heralding his imminent death). So she did not show what she was hiding in her heart. In a narration in Sahīh Muslim, ‘Ā'ishah said: "By Allah, there is nothing disturbing in it for me but the idea that people may see a bad omen in the first person to take the place of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." She said: "I tried to dissuade him twice or thrice (from appointing my father as Imām in prayer), but he ordered Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer and said: 'You women are like the women who surrounded Yūsuf.'" He intended by saying "the women who surrounded Yūsuf" that they are like those women in the story of Prophet Yūsuf in showing outwardly what was contrary to what is in their hearts. Although he used the plural form, he intended only one woman, which is ‘Ā'ishah, just as he intended by saying "those women who surrounded Yūsuf" only one woman, which is Zulaykha, wife of the ruler of Egypt at the time of Yūsuf. The aspect of similarity between the two women is that Zulaykha invited the women and outwardly showed them hospitality, but her inward intention behind inviting them was to make them look at the beauty of Yūsuf so that they would excuse her for loving him. Likewise, ‘Ā'ishah outwardly expressed that the reason she wanted her father to be exempted from leading the prayer was that the worshipers would not hear his recitation of the Qur’an because of his weeping, whereas her real intention was her fear that people would find a bad omen in him, as explicitly mentioned in other narrations of the Hadīth, where she said: "... the only reason that I argued with him (about this matter) was that I did not feel in my heart that after him (the Prophet) the people would ever love a man who had taken his place.”

Ibn Mas‘ūd informs us that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that whoever is afflicted with poverty or destitution, and he seeks relief from the people, i.e. he expresses his poverty to them, complains about it, and asks them for help to relieve him from poverty: the result is that his poverty will not be relieved, and every time one of his needs is fulfilled, he is afflicted with another need that is harder than the first one. Whereas he who seeks relief from Allah and relies upon Him alone, Allah will soon relieve him of his poverty and distress with wealth and sufficiency in this life or later on in the Hereafter. Hadīth commentators said that this Hadīth conveys the same meaning as the verse: {And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him} [Sūrat At-Talāq: 2-3]. Relief might be in the form of a wealthy relative who passes away thus he inherits from him, or in the form of money that Allah blesses him with, thus making him rich.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that if a person gives respite to someone in debt or forgives part of that debt, his reward will be that Allah will shade him under His Throne on the Day of Judgment, as the sun will draw near the heads of people and its heat will be intense for them. No one will find shade except those shaded by Allah.

It points out the merit of making things easy for people and that it is one of the causes of salvation from the horrors of the Day of Judgment.

Recompense is of the same type of one's deeds.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that if Allah wills good for any of His believing servants, He afflicts him in himself and his property and family, as affliction makes a believer resort to Allah Almighty and turn to Him in supplication, which causes his sins to be eliminated and his rank elevated.

The believer is subject to all kinds of afflictions.

Affliction may signify Allah's love for His servant to raise his degree, elevate his rank, and expiate for his sin.

The Hadīth urges us to be patient during disasters and avoid impatience.

The believer is questioned in the grave by the two angels assigned with this task, namely Munkar and Nakīr, whose names are mentioned in several Hadīths. The believer testifies that none is worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that this is the firm word about which Allah Almighty says: {Allah keeps those who believe steadfast with the firm Word [of faith] in the life of this world and in the Hereafter.} [Surat Ibrāhīm: 27]

The questioning in the grave is true.

Allah bestows His favor upon His believing slaves in this worldly life and in the Hereafter by keeping them steadfast with the firm word.

The merit of the testimony of Tawhīd (monotheism) and of dying upon it.

Allah keeps the believer steadfast in this worldly life through steadfastness in faith and adherence to the straight path, and at the time of death through death upon Tawhīd, and in the grave when being questioned by the two angels.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Allah commanded him to fight the polytheists until they testify that no deity is truly worthy of worship except Allah alone without any partner and that Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is His Messenger and act upon this testimony by observing the five prayers every day and night and paying the obligatory Zakah to those who are entitled to receive it. If they do these things, Islam protects their lives and properties, and it, thus, becomes unlawful to kill them unless they commit a crime or felony that makes them worthy of being killed in compliance with the rulings of Islam. Then, on the Day of Judgment, Allah Almighty will be in charge of their reckoning as He knows their innermost thoughts.

External aspects are what count in rulings, whereas the intentions are judged by Allah.

The importance of calling to Tawhīd (monotheism) and the fact that it is the first thing to start with in Da‘wah (calling to Allah).

This Hadīth does not imply forcing the polytheists to embrace Islam; rather, they have the choice either to enter Islam or pay Jizyah (protection tax). However, if they insist on preventing the call to Islam, then, the only option is to fight them in compliance with the rulings of Islam.

The Prophet (ﷺ) informs that Allah has pardoned his Ummah in three situations: First: Mistake. It is what a person does unintentionally by mistake. It is when a Muslim does something with a certain intention, but he happens to do something other than what he intended. Second: Forgetfulness. A Muslim remembers something, but he forgets it at the time of doing it. In such a case, he incurs no sin. Third: Coercion. A person may be coerced into doing something, and he is unable to ward off the coercion. In such a case, there is no sin or blame on him. It should be noted that the subject of the Hadīth is related to what is between the servant and his Lord regarding the commission of what is prohibited. As for neglecting an obligation out of forgetfulness, it is not waived. And if a prohibited act results in harm to another person, the right of that person is not waived—for example, if someone kills by mistake, he is liable for the blood money; or if he damages a car by mistake, he is liable for compensation.

It demonstrates Allah's vast mercy and kindness toward His servants, as He places no sin on them if they do anything wrong under these three conditions.

It indicates the favor Allah Almighty bestowed upon Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his Ummah.

Removal of sin does not mean removal of the relevant ruling or compensation. For example, if a person forgets to perform ablution and offers prayer thinking that he is in a state of ritual purity, he incurs no sin, but he is required to make ablution and repeat the prayer.

For the removal of sin in the case of coercion, certain requirements should be met, such as the case that the coercive person can implement his threat.

Allah, Exalted and Glorified, increased the revelation that was sent down to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) before his death to complete the Shariah, up until the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died at a time when the revelation was most abundant.

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs us that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told her: “O ‘Ā’ishah, here is Jibrīl giving you greetings of peace.” i.e. he is greeting you with the greeting of Islam. So she said: “and on him be peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah.” Hence, she returned the greeting with a greeting better than it, in compliance with the divine command: {And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]} [Sūrat An-Nisā’: 86]. It is Sunnah that if someone conveyed greetings of peace from one person to another that the latter answers saying: “and on him be peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah.” This is the apparent indication of the above Hadīth by ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). If the person says: “On you and on him be peace” or “On him and on you be peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah,” then that is also good because the one who relays greetings of peace is doing a righteous deed, therefore you should reward him by supplicating Allah to give him peace, mercy, and blessings. Are you obliged to relay the greetings if someone says: “Send my greetings of peace to so and so”? Scholars elaborated on this matter saying if you verbally commit yourself to do that, then it becomes an obligation on you, because Allah says: {Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due} [Sūrat An-Nisā’: 58]. However, if someone says: “Send my greetings of peace to so and so” and you remain silent or you said: for instance, “I will if I remember” or something similar, then in this case you are not obliged to relay the greetings except if you remember to do so. Nevertheless, it is better that a person does not burden another with this task as it might be difficult for him. He should, rather, say: “Send my greetings of peace to whoever asks about me.” This is a good thing to do, whereas burdening him with this task is not appropriate because he might feel embarrassed and say: “Yes, I will send your greetings,” but then he might forget, or a long time might elapse before he fulfills this task.

Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that a man whom Allah granted wealth will be brought on the Day of Judgment, and his Lord will ask him about his wealth and what he did with it. Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: {And they will be able to hide nothing from Allah} [Sūrat An-Nisā': 42], as Allah, the Exalted, says: {On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their legs or feet will bear witness against them as to what they used to do} [Sūrat An-Nūr: 24]. He will reply: "O Lord, You gave me wealth and I used to enter into transactions with people", i.e. I dealt with people through selling and lending, and I was characterized by leniency. Then he explained it by saying: "I used to show leniency towards the solvent", i.e. I was easy with them and would accept whatever they brought even if it was slightly less than what they owed. "And give respite to the insolvent", i.e. I was patient with those who were unable to pay on time, not demanding repayment and extending the loan period. Allah, the Exalted, will say: "I am more entitled to that than you", i.e. since you were lenient with My slaves and adopted My traits, then I am more entitled to give you respite and pardon you. "Pardon my slave", i.e. Allah will pardon him and forgive his sins because of his tolerance, leniency, and kindness towards His slaves. Indeed, {Is there any reward for good other than good?} [Sūrat Ar-Rahmān: 60] ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir and Abu Mas‘ūd al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with both of them) said: "This is how we heard it from the lips of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)" i.e. they both heard this report from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) himself just as Hudhayfah said it, without any words added or left out.

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs in this Hadīth that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died when her house was void of any edible thing except for a small quantity of barley she had on a shelf and from which she kept eating for a long time. Then when she measured what was left of it, it soon finished, which points to the Prophet's continued blessing in that small amount of food so long as it was not measured, a sign of reliance on Allah. Weighing things in buying and selling is required for the rights of people involved. But it is not recommended to measure your things as you spend or use them.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed about the secret talk between Allah and His believing slave on the Day of Judgment saying: A believer is brought close to his Lord on the Day of Judgment and He conceals him from the gathered creation so no one would know his secret other than him. He says to him: Do you know such-and-such sin, making him confess the sins between him and his Lord. He will say: O Lord, yes. When the believer, consequently, feels scared and afraid, Allah Almighty says to him: I have concealed them for you in the worldly life, and I forgive them for you today, and he will be handed the record of his good deeds. As for the disbeliever and the hypocrite, they are called out before all the witnesses: These are the ones who lied against their Lord. Indeed, Allah’s curse is upon the wrongdoers.

The favor and mercy that Allah bestows upon the believers by concealing them both in this world and the Hereafter.

Encouraging the act of concealing the believer's faults whenever possible.

All of the slaves' deeds are recorded by the Almighty Lord. So, whoever finds good should praise Allah, and whoever finds other than that should blame none but himself, and he is subject to Allah's will.

Ibn Hajar said: The overall Hadīths indicate that the sinners from the believers are two types on the Day of Judgment: First: Those whose sins are between them and their Lord. The Hadīth of Ibn ‘Umar denotes that this type is divided into two categories: 1. One whose sins are concealed in this world, and this is the same person for whom Allah will conceal his sins on the Day of Judgment as directly stated. 2. One whose sins are openly committed and whose situation will be different from that as understood from the Hadīth. Second: Those whose sins are between them and others, and they are also divided into two categories: 1. Those whose evil deeds outweigh their good deeds and who fall in Hellfire then come out of it through the intercession. 2. Those whose evil deeds and good deeds are equal, and they do not enter Paradise until their shortcomings are settled.

Abu Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said that when the Qur'anic verse encouraging charity was revealed, referring to the following verse according to Al-Hāfizh: {Take charity from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it} [Sūrat At-Tawbah: 103], the Companions raced to submit their charities to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) carrying as much as they could. Some people submitted large amounts; others small amounts. The hypocrites criticized both, accusing the former of ostentation and the latter of being unworthy in Allah's sight. Therefore, Allah, the Almighty, revealed: {Those who criticize the contributors among the believers concerning [their] charities and [criticize] the ones who find nothing [to spend] except their effort, so they ridicule them - Allah will ridicule them, and they will have a painful punishment} [Sūrat At-Tawbah: 79]. They mocked the believers, so they will be mocked and tormented by Allah.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that on the Day of Judgment, the sun will be brought close to the people and will approach them until it is only a mile's distance from their heads. Sulaym ibn ‘Āmir, the Tābi‘i, said: By Allah, I do not know which of the two meanings he was referring to, that of the distance on earth or the one used as kohl for the eye? He said: They will be in sweat according to their deeds. Some of them will have sweat up to their ankles, some up to their knees, some up to their waist and the waistband of their lower garments, and some will have sweat reaching their mouths, preventing them from speaking. He said: He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed with his hand to his mouth.

Clarifying the horrors of the Day of Judgment and warning against them.

On the Day of Judgment, people will be in difficulty at the standing place according to their deeds.

Encouraging the performance of good deeds and warning against evil deeds.

Allah, Blessed and Exalted, created mercy of one hundred parts. He sent one mercy down to this world and withheld ninety-nine parts for the Day of Judgment. Because of this single mercy, all of the creatures from among the humans, Jinn, animals, and insects, are merciful to one another. Even the horse that is known for its swiftness lifts its hoof away from its youngster lest it should hurt it. Because of this mercy, beasts are kind to their youngsters. Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, has retained ninety-nine mercies to have mercy upon His slaves on the Day of Judgment. Second Hadīth: Allah, Blessed and Exalted, created one hundred mercies on the Day He created the heavens and the earth. Each mercy can fill the distance that is between the heavens and the earth. He placed one of them on earth, through which a mother has compassion for her child and animals and birds have compassion for one another. Then, on the Day of Judgment, Allah, the Lord of the worlds, will complete it with the ninety-nine mercies. So if all the great blessings of Allah, the Almighty, that He bestows on man in this world, which is basically built on anguish, are caused by one mercy, how then would the effect of one hundred mercies be in the Hereafter, which is the abode of eternity and recompense?!

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the Shariah rulings fall into three categories: what is left unaddressed, prohibitions, and commands. As for the first: It is what the Shariah has left unaddressed, as there is no ruling, and things, in principle, are not obligatory. During the Prophet's lifetime, it was a must not to ask about something that had not occurred for fear that it might become obligatory or forbidden through revelation, as Allah has left it unaddressed out of mercy towards His slaves. After the Prophet's death, on the other hand, if the question is posed by way of seeking legal opinion or learning about what one needs of the religion, then it is not only permissible but also commanded. However, if the question is posed by way of obstinacy and affectation, then this kind of question should be avoided, and this is what the Hadīth refers to, as it could lead to what happened to the Children of Israel when they were commanded to slaughter a cow. It was sufficient for them to obey the command by slaughtering any cow; however, when they acted obstinately, things were made hard for them. Second: The prohibitions: It is whatever one is rewarded for abandoning and is punished for doing. So, all prohibitions must be avoided. Third: The commands: It is whatever one is rewarded for doing and punished for abandoning. The commands must be carried out to the best of one's ability.

People should be occupied with what is important and necessary, leaving what is not immediately needed, and they should not be preoccupied with asking about what has not occurred.

It is prohibited to ask questions that may lead to the complexity of issues and open the door to suspicious matters that lead to wide divergence.

Commanding that all prohibitions be avoided because avoiding them entails no hardship, and this is why the prohibition here is general.

Commanding that orders be carried out according to the ability, as it could entail hardship or one could be unable to do it. Hence, the command here depends on the ability.

Forbidding the act of asking too many questions. Scholars divided questions into two categories: First: Questions that are meant for learning what one needs of the religion, and this kind of question is required, and an example of this is the Companions' questions. Second: Questions that are asked by way of obstinacy and affectation, and this is the kind of forbidden question.

Warning this Ummah of disobeying their Prophet as what occurred in the previous nations.

Asking frequently about what is not necessary and disagreeing with the prophets lead to destruction, especially when the questions are about what is unattainable, like matters of the unseen, which none knows except Allah, and the events taking place on the Day of Judgment.

Forbidding the act of asking about extremely difficult matters. Al-Awzā‘i said: When Allah chooses to deprive His slave of the blessing of knowledge, He makes him speak fallacies, for I noted that those were the least among people in terms of knowledge. Ibn Wahb said: I heard Mālik say: Arguing about knowledge turns off the light of knowledge in one's heart.

Kabshah bint Thābit (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) once visited her and drank from the mouth of a hanging waterskin while he was in a standing posture. He did that (although he forbade drinking while standing) because this was the only way he could drink from it while it was hanging. So Kabshah got up to the waterskin and cut off its mouth in order to preserve the spot where the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) put his mouth to seek blessing from it and to protect it from being handled in a disrespectful manner (given that the Prophet's mouth had touched it).

Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I was on a journey in the company of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). One morning, I was close to him when we were on the move, so I said: O Messenger of Allah, inform me of a deed that admits me to Paradise and keeps me far from Hellfire. He said: You have asked me about a deed that is hard for people to perform, but it is, indeed, easy and simple for whomever Allah makes it easy. Perform the obligations of Islam. First: Worship Allah alone and do not associate anything with Him. Second: Establish the five obligatory prayers every day and night, namely Fajr, Zhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ''Ishā'—along with observing their conditions, pillars, and obligatory acts. Third: Pay the obligatory Zakah, which is an obligatory financial act of worship due on every type of property that has reached the limit prescribed by the Shariah, and it is to be given to those entitled to it. Fourth: Fast Ramadan, which is abstaining from food, drink, and other fast invalidators as a form of worship from the break of dawn to sunset. Fifth: Make Hajj to the House by heading for Makkah to perform the rituals as a means of worshiping Allah Almighty. Then he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Shall I inform you of the path leading to the gates of goodness? Follow these obligations with voluntary acts of worship. First: Voluntary fast, which prevents from falling into sins by breaking the lust and enfeebling the power. Second: Voluntary charity extinguishes the sin after being committed, eliminates it, and erases its traces. Third: Tahjjud prayer during the last third of the night, then he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited Allah's statement: {They forsake their beds}, i.e., they leave their beds {invoking their Lord} in prayer, Dhikr, recitation of the Qur’an, and supplication {with fear and hope, and spend out of what We have provided for them. No soul knows what delights are kept hidden for them}, i.e., the bliss that will provide them with ultimate comfort on the Day of Judgment and in Paradise {as a reward for what they used to do.} Then he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Shall I inform you of the essence of the religion, its pillar upon which it is founded, and its peak? Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: The head of the matter is: Islam, i.e., the two testimonies of faith by which one attains the essence of the religion. Its pillar is: the prayer, since there is no Islam without prayer as there is no house without a pillar. So, whoever prays, his religion is enhanced and elevated. Its peak and climax are attained through Jihad and the exertion of effort in fighting against the enemies of the religion to make the word of Allah supreme. Then he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Shall I tell you what controls and perfects the aforementioned? He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took hold of his tongue and said: Control this and do not speak about what does not concern you. Mu‘ādh said: Does our Lord hold us accountable and responsible and punish us for what we speak?! He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: May your mother lose you! This is not meant as a supplication against him; rather, it is one of the Arabs' common expressions that is meant to draw attention to something that one is supposed to be aware of and to know. Then he said: What else can cast people and throw them on their faces in Hellfire other than the harvest of their tongues speaking words of disbelief, accusing of immorality, insult, backbiting, talebearing, false accusation, etc.?!

The Companions' keenness on acquiring knowledge; hence, they used to ask the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) frequently about it.

The Companions' good understanding of the religion, as they knew that deeds are a means of entering Paradise.

The question posed by Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) is of great significance because it is in reality the secret of life and existence. The goal of every existent being in this world from mankind or the jinn is either Paradise or Hellfire, and this is the reason why such a question has great significance.

Admittance to Paradise is contingent on fulfilling the five pillars of Islam, which are: the two testimonies of faith, prayer, Zakah, fasting, and Hajj.

The head of the religion, the most precious mission, and the most important duty is belief in the oneness of Allah by worshiping Him alone with no partner.

As a token of Allah's mercy towards His slaves, He opened for them the gates of goodness to take provision from the causes leading to rewards and forgiveness of sins.

The merit of drawing closer to Allah by performing voluntary acts of worship after performing the obligatory ones.

Prayer, in relation to Islam, is like the pillar upon which a tent is set up, and without prayer, there is no Islam just as a tent collapses with the collapse of its pillar.

It is obligatory to restrain the tongue from whatever negatively affects man's religion.

Restraining, controlling, and curbing the tongue is the basis of all goodness.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Allah is Good, Holy, Exalted far above deficiencies and shortcomings, and possesses the attributes of perfection. He accepts only the deeds, statements, and beliefs that are good, i.e., those that are sincerely devoted to Allah and that comply with the Prophet's guidance. No attempt should be made to get closer to Allah except through this. One of the greatest means to make the believer's deeds good is to eat good and lawfully earned food, and this, consequently, purifies his deeds. For this reason, Allah has commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers about consuming what is lawful and offering righteous deeds, as He says: {O messengers, eat from the lawful things and act righteously, for I am All-Knowing of what you do.} [Surat al-Mu’minūn: 51]  And He says: {O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided for you.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 172] Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned against consuming what is unlawful, which invalidates deeds and makes them unacceptable despite utilizing the apparent means of acceptance, such as: First: Traveling for a long period to perform acts of obedience like Hajj, Jihad, maintaining kinship ties, etc. Second: Having disheveled hair because of not combing it, with the changed color of his skin and clothes because of dust, so, he is helpless. Third: Raising his hands to the sky in supplication. Fourth: Imploring Allah with His names persistently: O Lord, O Lord! Despite the existence of all these means of answering the supplication, he receives no response because his food, drink, and clothes are unlawful, and he is nourished by the unlawful. It is very unlikely for someone with such a description to have his supplication answered, and how could it be answered?!

Allah Almighty is perfect in His essence, attributes, actions, and rulings.

We are commanded to sincerely devote our deeds to Allah Almighty and to follow the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

Using encouraging methods, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah has commanded the believers with what he commanded the messengers." So, when the believer realizes that the messengers were commanded to do such things, he becomes motivated and encouraged to comply.

Consuming what is unlawful is one of the reasons for not answering supplications.

The means of answering supplications include five things: 1. Going on long journeys, given the state of despondency, which is one of the major reasons for having a supplication answered. 2. The state of dire need. 3. Stretching the hands toward the sky. 4. Invoking Allah persistently by mentioning His Lordship repeatedly, as it is one of the greatest means of seeking a response for supplications. 5. Eating and drinking what is lawful.

Consuming that which is good and lawful is among the means that help one perform righteous deeds.

Al-Qādi said: Good is the opposite of evil. When "good" is used to describe Allah Almighty, it means that He is exalted and extolled far above deficiencies and shortcomings. However, when "good" is used as a general description of the slave, it means that he is free of vices and evil deeds and possesses the opposite of that. When "good,"  on the other hand, is used to describe properties, it means that such properties are lawful and of the best type.

The Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that Allah predestined the good deeds and the bad ones and then clarified to the two angels how to write them down: If a person wants, intends, and resolves to do a good deed, it will be written for him as one good deed, even if he has not done it, and if he does it, its reward gets multiplied from ten to seven hundred times and many times over. The increase depends on the sincerity within the person's heart, how much benefit his good deed brings to others, and so on. On the other hand, if a person wants, intends, and resolves to do a bad deed and then abandons it for Allah's sake, it will be written for him as a good deed. Yet, if he abandons it due to preoccupation with something else, while he has not engaged in the means leading to it, it will not be written as anything. But if he abandons it out of inability, his intention will be written against him. And if he does it, it will be written as one bad deed.

The Hadīth highlights Allah's great favor upon this Ummah as He multiplies their good deeds and writes them down with Himself and does not multiply their bad deeds.

It shows the significance of intention in terms of deeds and their effect.

It demonstrates Allah's grace, kindness, and benevolence, for if a person intends to do a good deed yet does not perform it, Allah writes it down as a good deed.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that Allah Almighty does not look at the appearance and bodies of His servants, as to whether they are beautiful or ugly, big or small, and sound or sick. And He does not look at their wealth as to whether they possess much or little. Indeed, Allah Almighty does not punish His servants or hold them accountable for these matters and their different levels regarding them. But He looks at their hearts and the piety, certitude, truthfulness, and sincerity existing therein or their intention to show off and attain a good reputation among people. He looks at their deeds and sees whether they are righteous or evil, and He gives the recompense accordingly.

We should be careful to mend our hearts and purify them of any bad traits.

Hearts become sound with sincerity, and deeds become sound by following the Prophet's example. It is both of them that Allah Almighty looks at and judges accordingly.

A person should not be deceived by wealth, beauty, body, or worldly appearances.

The Hadīth warns us against caring about outward appearance and failing to reform what is inside.

'Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that Jibrīl (peace be upon him) appeared before the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in the form of an unknown man with white clothes and very dark hair and the signs of travel - such as fatigue, dust, unkempt hair, and dirty clothing - were not visible on him. None of those present knew him. This happened while they were sitting with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He sat down before the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as a learner and asked him about Islam. He answered him, pointing out the pillars of Islam: acknowledgment of the two testimonies of faith, observing the five prayers, paying the Zakah to its due recipients, fasting the month of Ramadan, and performing the obligation of Hajj for those who are able to do so. The inquirer said: You have spoken the truth. The Companions wondered that he posed the question, which indicated that he apparently did not know the answer, and then he affirmed that the answer was right. Then, he asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about faith, and he answered him listing the six pillars that contain belief in the existence of Allah Almighty and His attributes, ascribing His actions, such as creation, to Him alone, and devoting worship only to Him; belief that the angels, whom Allah created from light, are honorable servants who do not disobey Allah Almighty and they execute His commands; belief in the scriptures revealed by Allah Almighty to the messengers, like the Qur’an, the Torah, and the Gospel, and in the messengers who conveyed Allah's religion, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the last of them Muhammad (peace be upon all of them); belief in the Last Day, which includes the barzakh life (life after death in the grave) and that every human being will be resurrected after death and undergo the reckoning and will ultimately end up in Paradise or Hellfire; and belief that Allah had predestined all things according to His prior knowledge, wisdom, writing, and will, and that everything happens according to Allah's predestination and creation. Then, he asked him about ihsān, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that ihsān is to worship Allah as if you can see Him, and if he cannot reach that level, he should then worship Allah Almighty as if Allah is watching him. The first is the level of watching, which is higher, and the second is the level of watchfulness. Then, he asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the Hour, and he clarified that knowledge of the Hour is one of the things Allah kept to Himself alone; so, none of the creation knows it, neither the one inquired about it nor the inquirer. Then, he asked him about the signs of the Hour. He pointed out that its signs include the increasing number of slave girls or the prevalence of children's ingratitude toward their mothers as they treat them like slaves and that shepherds and poor people will lead a life of opulence in the latter times, taking pride in the construction and decoration of big houses. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the inquirer was Jibrīl, who came to teach the Companions this upright religion.

The Hadīth shows the Prophet’s good manners and that he would sit with his Companions, and they would attend to him.

A questioner should be treated in a gentle and friendly manner so that he can pose the question without reservation or fear.

A teacher should be treated in a polite manner, as Jibrīl (peace be upon him) sat down before the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in a polite way to learn from him.

The pillars of Islam are five and the fundamentals of faith are six.

When Islam and faith are mentioned together, Islam is taken to refer to the outward aspects, whereas faith is taken to refer to the inward ones.

Religion has varying levels. The first level is Islam, the second is Imān (faith), and the third is ihsān, which is the highest one.

A questioner typically lacks knowledge, and it is his ignorance that drives him to ask. Therefore, the Companions wondered that he posed the question and affirmed the soundness of the answer.

First things first. He began with the two testimonies of faith when defining Islam and began with belief in Allah when defining faith.

A scholar may be asked about something the questioner already knows so that others can learn it.

Knowledge about the Hour is part of the knowledge Allah kept to Himself alone.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that whoever innovates something in the religion or does something that is not supported by evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah will have it rejected and Allah will not accept it from him.

Acts of worship are based on what is prescribed in the Qur’an and Sunnah. We worship Allah Almighty only in accordance with what He has prescribed and not in accordance with religious innovations and heresies.

Religion is not based on reason or juristic discretion; rather, it is based on following the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

This Hadīth is proof of the perfection of the religion.

"Bid‘ah" (religious innovation): It is every belief, saying, or act that is newly introduced in the religion, which neither existed during the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) nor during the time of his Companions.

This Hadīth represents one of the fundamentals of Islam. It acts as a criterion for deeds. Every deed that is not exclusively devoted to Allah Almighty, its doer will not be rewarded for it and the same rule applies to every deed that does not conform with the Prophet's Sunnah will be rejected upon its doer.

The prohibited innovations are those related to religion and not those related to worldly affairs.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Allah Almighty said that He made oppression forbidden for Himself and forbidden among His servants, so people should not oppress one another; that all servants are misguided away from the true path, except if guided and directed by Allah. And whoever asks Allah for guidance, He guides and directs him; that all servants stand in need of Allah in all their affairs. So, whoever asks from Allah, He fulfills his need and gives him sufficiency; that they commit sins day and night, and Allah Almighty conceals their sins and pardons them when they ask for His forgiveness; that they cannot cause any harm to Allah or bring Him any benefit; that if they were as pious as the most pious heart of any man, their piety would not add anything to Allah's dominion; and if they were as wicked as the most wicked heart of any man, their wickedness would not cause any decrease in His dominion. This is because they are helpless and in need of Allah. They need Him in all their conditions and in all times and places, whereas He is the Self-Sufficient One above any need; and that if they were to stand in one place, including all humans and jinn, the first and last one amongst them and were to ask from Allah, and He gave everyone what he asked for, this would not cause any decrease to what Allah possesses, like a needle when it is dipped into the sea; the sea does not diminish whatsoever on account of that. This is because of the perfect self-sufficiency of Allah Almighty; and that Allah Almighty records and counts the deeds of His servants and gives them full recompense on the Day of Judgment. Whoever finds good recompense for his deeds should praise Allah for guiding him to His worship, and whoever finds different recompense for his deeds should not blame anyone but his evil-commanding self, which led him to the loss.

This is one of the Hadīths the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) narrated about his Lord. It is called a Qudsi or divine Hadīth, and its wording and meaning are attributed to Allah. However, Qudsi Hadīths do not possess the traits of the Qur'an, which is distinguished from anything else, such as reciting it as a form of worship, getting purified for it, presenting it as a challenge, its miraculousness, etc.

Any knowledge or guidance that people possess comes from Allah’s guidance and teaching.

Any good that happens to a person comes from Allah's grace, and any evil that afflicts him stems from his soul and vain desire.

Whoever acts rightly is due to guidance from his Lord, and the good recompense he gets is a favour from Allah, to Whom all praise is due. And whoever does wrong should not blame anyone but himself.

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that one day, as a boy, he was riding behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he said to him: I will teach you things by which Allah will benefit you: Be mindful of Allah by observing His commands and prohibitions so He will find you engaged in the acts of worship and piety and not find you committing sins and misdeeds. If you do so, your recompense will be that Allah will protect you from unpleasant things in this world and the Hereafter and support you in your endeavors wherever you go. If you want to ask for something, do not ask anyone but Allah, for He alone responds to those who ask. And if you need help, do not seek help except from Allah. And you should be certain that no benefit will come to you, even if all the earth's inhabitants were to gather together to bring it to you, except if Allah had predestined it for you. No harm will happen to you, even if all the inhabitants of the earth were to gather together to cause it to you, except if Allah had predestined it for you. And that Allah Almighty had written and predestined this matter according to His wisdom and knowledge, and whatever Allah had written cannot be changed.

The Hadīth shows the significance of teaching children the religious matters of monotheism, ethics, and so on.

Recompense is of the same type as one's deed.

We are required to trust and rely upon Allah Almighty alone. He is the best Disposer of affairs.

We are required to believe in and be content with the divine decree and predestination and that Allah has predestined everything.

Whoever neglects the commands of Allah, Allah will abandon him and will not protect him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that a huge army will invade the Sacred House of Allah. When they reach an open desert area, Allah will make the earth swallow them up. The Mother of the Believers ‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him about the ones who came for buying and selling, without any evil intention to invade the Ka‘bah, and the people who followed them, but did not belong to them or know their evil plan. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed her that the earth would swallow them up because they were in their company. Later, they will be resurrected and judged according to their intentions, and everyone will be dealt with according to one's good or evil intentions.

Al-Miqdād ibn al-Aswad (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the situation if he meets a man from the disbelievers during a battle and they fight with swords and the disbeliever strikes one of his hands with the sword and cuts it off, then he runs away from him and seeks protection in a tree and says: La ilāha illallāh (there is no god but Allah), is it lawful for me to kill him after cutting off my hand? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Do not kill him. He said: O Messenger of Allah, but he cut off one of my hands; how could I not kill him despite this?! He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Do not kill him because his life has become inviolable. If you kill him after declaring his Islam, his Islam has made his life inviolable just like you, and you will have the same status as his, as it will be permissible to kill you by way of legal retribution for killing him.

It is unlawful to kill whoever does or says what indicates embracing Islam.

If any of the disbelievers embraces Islam during a battle, his life becomes inviolable, and refraining from harming him becomes obligatory unless he proves otherwise.

A Muslim's personal desire must comply with the Shariah, not with fanaticism and revenge.

Ibn Hajar said: It is permissible to ask about afflictions that have not yet occurred, based on the opinion stating that this story most likely has not taken place. Considering what was reported from some of the righteous predecessors about this being disliked, it is taken to refer to what rarely occurs. However, it is permissible to ask about what could usually occur to make it known.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dispatched Usāmah ibn Zayd in a detachment to Al-Huraqah, a sub-tribe of Juhaynah. When they reached the idolaters and overtook them, a man from the idolaters escaped. Usāmah and a man from the Ansār chased him in order to kill him, and when they reached him, the man said: "There is no god but Allah." The Ansasri man left him when he said that. Usāmah, on the other hand, killed him. When they returned to Madīnah, and the news reached the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) he asked Usāmah: "Did you kill him after he had said There is no god but Allah?" Usāmah said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah, He only said it to save himself from being killed." The Prophet repeated the question: "Did you kill him after he had said There is no god but Allah?" Usāmah said: "Yes, he only said it to save himself from being killed. He brought harm to the Muslims and killed so and so of them." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Did you split open his heart to verify his intention? What would you do with (his statement) 'there is no god but Allah' when it comes on the Day of Judgment? Who will intercede for you, speak on your behalf and argue your case when the word of monotheism is brought and it is said to you: 'How could you kill someone who proclaimed it?'" Usāmah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I wished I had not embraced Islam before that day", because if he were a disbeliever who had just embraced Islam, Allah would pardon him. However he committed this act while he was a Muslim.

Abu Burdah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that his father, Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him), got severely sick and lost consciousness. His head was in the lap of a woman from his family, so she screamed and wailed, but he could not respond to her because of being unconscious. When he regained his consciousness, he said that: He dissociates himself from whoever the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dissociated himself from, and he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dissociated himself from the: Sāliqah: a woman who raises her voice in wailing upon calamity. Hāliqah: a woman who shaves her hair upon calamity. Shāqqah: a woman who tears her garment upon calamity. This is because they are from the practices of the pre-Islamic era of ignorance. Instead, one is commanded to be patient in times of calamity and to seek reward from Allah for it.

Tearing the clothes, shaving the hair, and raising the voice in wailing when calamities strike are prohibited and are considered major sins.

Grief and crying, without wailing and raising the voice, are not forbidden, as they do not contradict patience with the decree of Allah; rather, they are a form of mercy.

It is prohibited to express discontent with Allah's painful decrees through speech or actions.

Patience is obligatory in times of calamity.

The great Companion Rifā‘ah informs us that Jibrīl (peace be upon him) came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said to him: What is the status of those who fought in the cause of Allah in the battle of Badr? In this battle, Allah granted His Prophet and the believers who joined him a complete victory. He said: They are the best of the Muslims among us. So Jibrīl (peace be upon him) said: The same can be said about the angels who joined the battle and fought in it.

The great Companion Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say that the period between the first blow of the Trumpet, which will cause the people to die, and the second blow, after which they will be resurrected, will be forty. Abu Hurayrah was asked: Forty what: days, months, or years? He refused to reply, as he had not heard a specification for this number from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then he mentioned that Allah, the Exalted, will send down rain as thick as men's semen, and from this rain, the people will grow in their graves as seeds grow after a flood. Then the people will be resurrected to their Lord on the Day of Reckoning.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the most beloved places to Allah Almighty are the mosques, for they are houses of worship and acts of obedience and are built upon piety. And the most hated places to Allah are the marketplaces, because they are often filled with deception, fraud, usury, false oaths, broken promises, and heedlessness of the remembrance of Allah.

The sanctity and high status of the mosques, for they are houses in which the Name of Allah is frequently mentioned.

An encouragement to adhere to mosques and to frequent them often in pursuit of Allah's love and pleasure, and to minimize visits to marketplaces except when necessary, to avoid falling into things that incur divine displeasure.

An-Nawawi said: The mosques are places where Allah's mercy descends, while the marketplaces are their opposite.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that all his Ummah will enter Paradise except those who refuse! Thereupon, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) said: And who would refuse, O Messenger of Allah?! In reply to them, he explained that he who obeys and follows the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) will enter Paradise. In contrast, he who disobeys and does not comply with the Shariah has refused to enter Paradise on account of his bad deeds.

Obeying the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is part of obedience to Allah, and disobeying him is disobedience to Allah.

Obedience to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leads one to Paradise, and disobeying him leads one to Hellfire.

The Hadīth gives good news to the righteous people in this Ummah that they all will enter Paradise except those who disobey Allah and His Messenger.

It shows the Prophet's compassion towards his Ummah and keenness to guide them.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that none among people will pass the place of reckoning, either to Paradise or Hellfire, on the Day of Judgment until he is asked about four things, which are: First: His life; how did he let it perish and how did he spend it? Second: His knowledge; did he seek it for the sake of Allah? Did he act upon it? Did he convey it to those entitled to it? Third: His money; from where did he earn it? Was it lawfully or unlawfully earned? What did he spend it on? Did he spend it on what pleases Allah or on what displeases Him? Fourth: His body, strength, wellness, and youth; how did he use them and wear them out?

It encourages the act of taking advantage of life in what pleases Allah Almighty.

The blessings that Allah bestows on His slaves are abundant, and He will ask everyone about the blessings he was granted; thus, one must use such blessings in what pleases Allah.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed the Companions that Muslims would win victory over the Jews of Khaybar, a city near Madīnah, the following day at the hands of a man whom he would give the banner, i.e., the flag that the army takes as its slogan. Among the traits of this man is that he loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that he never liked the idea of leadership or being one meant except that day in the hope that he might be the one to win the love of Allah and His Messenger that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stretched his body to be seen by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), hoping that he would be called for that mission and out of keenness to take this banner. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) and gave him the banner and ordered him to proceed with the army and not to quit the fight after encountering his enemy, for rest, a pause, or a truce until Allah grants him victory and dominance over these fortresses. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) proceeded, then he stopped but without looking back so as not to disobey the Prophet's command. He raised his voice and said: O Messenger of Allah, on what should I fight the people? He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Fight them until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. If they respond and embrace Islam, then their blood and properties become inviolable and unlawful for you except what is rightly justified, i.e., unless they commit a crime or felony for which they deserve to be killed in compliance with the rulings of Islam, and their reckoning is with Allah.

The Companions used to dislike leadership because of the great responsibility it entails.

It is permissible to aspire and look forward to a matter that is confirmed to be good.

The ruler guides the army leader on how to act in the battlefield.

The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) adhered to his commandments and hastened to implement them.

When one is confused about what is assigned to him, he should inquire about it.

One of the signs of his prophethood (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is informing about the victory over the Jews, as he informed about the conquest of Khaybar, and it occurred just as he said.

We are encouraged to hasten and take the initiative to carry out the commands of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

It is impermissible to kill whoever pronounced the Two Testimonies of Faith unless something appears from him that requires killing him.

The rulings of Islam apply to what appears from people, whereas their hidden aspects are entrusted to Allah.

The greatest purpose behind Jihad is to make people embrace Islam.

When Allah created the creation, He wrote in a book, which is with Him over the Throne: Verily, My mercy predominates over My anger. In the Qur'an, He says: {And My mercy encompasses all things.} Indeed, this prompts Muslims not to despair or lose hope.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified how Muslims should act together. They should love goodness for each other, show mercy, offer help, and support each other. Moreover, they should feel hurt by whatever harm afflicts them. In other words, they should act like a single body; whenever one of its organs gets sick, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and fever.

The Muslims' rights should be venerated and cooperation and mutual kindness between them should be encouraged.

There should be mutual love and support between the believers.

The story of ‘Āsim ibn Thābit al-Ansāri and his companions (may Allah be pleased with all of them) shows a clear miracle that was granted to a group of the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet dispatched ten of his Companions to spy on the enemy and report their news to him. As they approached Makkah, some of the Hudhayl tribe came to know about them, so they sent a hundred master archers to deal with them. They tracked them down until they were able to surround them. They pledged not to kill them if they surrendered, but ‘Āsim swore that he would never believe the pledge of a disbeliever, because the disbelievers betrayed Allah, the Exalted, and anyone who betrayed Allah could also betray Allah's servants. They shot at them with their arrows, leaving ‘Āsim and six others dead. The remaining three companions agreed to surrender. The raiders captured them and tied their hands up. Upon seeing this, one of the Companions said that this was the start of them breaking their pledge and swore that he would never go with the raiders; so they killed him. They sold Khubayb and his comrade as slaves in Makkah. A family, whose leader had been killed by Khubayb in the battle of Badr, bought Khubayb believing that this was their opportunity to avenge their leader's death and they kept him as a prisoner. One day, one of the children from the family came up to Khubayb, may Allah be pleased with him. Khubayb felt compassion towards the child, so he lifted him up onto his knee, because the mother was busy with something else. He had previously borrowed a razor from the family to shave his pubic hair, so when the mother saw her child with Khubayb, she was afraid that he would kill him. However, he (may Allah be pleased with him) sensed her fear and assured her that he would never harm him. That mother used to say that she swore by Allah that she had never seen a prisoner better than Khubayb. She said that she saw him eating a bunch of grapes one day, at a time when Makkah had no grapes. She knew this was a blessing granted by Allah to Khubayb while he was a prisoner in Makkah. Nonetheless, the family whose leader had been killed by Khubayb decided to kill him, but out of respect to Makkah, they decided to kill him outside the Sacred Precincts. He asked them to let him pray two Rak‘ahs. After he had finished praying, he told them he that he had wanted to pray more but only prayed two Rak‘ahs because he did not want them to think he was prolonging the prayer because he was afraid of death. He then made the following supplication against them: "O Allah, remove them altogether; slay them one by one, and spare none of them." Allah accepted his supplication and they all died within a year. He recited the following poetic verses: "I do not care how I will be killed as long as I will die in the cause of Allah, as a Muslim. This is for Allah's sake, and if He so wills, He may bless torn and amputated limbs." As for ‘Āsim ibn Thābit (may Allah be pleased with him) who had been killed; a family from the Quraysh whose leader had been killed by ‘Āsim heard about his death. They sent some people to bring a identifiable part of his body [to ensure that he was dead], but Allah, Exalted and Glorified, sent a swarm of bees to hover over his body like a cloud to protect him from them; so they couldn't get close to him and their attempt was vain. This was another miracle that Allah, the Exalted, granted to ‘Āsim (may Allah be pleased with him). Allah, the Exalted, protected his body after his death from the enemies who wanted to mutilate his corpse.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed a man in charge of an army unit to be in charge and judge between them so that everything take place in an orderly fashion and without chaos. He chose the most religious, knowledgeable, and expert one of them. For this reason, rulers and scholars were to lead the prayers due to their knowledge and religion. He always concluded his recitation with Sūrat al-Ikhlās in the second Rak‘ah of every prayer because of his love of Allah and His names and attributes. It is natural whenever someone loves something that he increases its remembrance. When they returned to Madīnah, they reported this to the Prophet. So he said: "Ask him why he does this!" Is it a coincidence, or is there a special reason? The leader said: "I do this because this Sūrah contains the attributes of the Most Merciful and I love to repeat it because of this. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Inform him, just as he repeats this Sūrah - because of what it contains of Allah's beautiful names and attributes and because he loves it - Allah loves him as well."

‘Ali ibn Rabī‘ah, who was a leading Tābi‘i, reported that he was present when ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib was brought his riding mount. When he put his foot in the stirrup, he said: “Bismillah”, meaning: I ride in the name of Allah. When he settled on its back, he said: “Exalted is He…”, praising Him for this great favor; subduing the animal and causing it to yield to let people ride it, safe from any evil it might cause them. “…who has subjected this to us”, meaning that He has made this animal subservient to us, and we would not have been able to subdue it otherwise. Then he said: “Praise be to Allah” three times and then: “Allah is the Greatest” three times. The repetition indicates the glory of Allah, and that the slave does not give Him His true right, even though he is enjoined to worship Him at all times, according to his ability. Then he said: “Exalted are You above any imperfection. I have wronged myself…”, meaning, I have wronged myself by not fulfilling Your due right upon me in expressing gratitude for this great favor, even through slight heedlessness, a passing thought, or a glance. “…so forgive me”, meaning, conceal my sins by not punishing me for them. “…for none but You can forgive sins”, meaning that this indicates admitting negligence, despite the abundant blessings of Allah upon him. “…and then he laughed. It was asked: ‘O Commander of the Believers, what made you laugh?’" In a verified version of Ash-Shamāil, the narration says: “So I asked”, instead of: “It was asked”. The reason he was asked was that nothing had (apparently) happened that would initiate laughter. It is noteworthy that in the question, addressing him as “O Commander of the Believers” preceded the question, due to the etiquette of speech. “He replied: ‘I saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing as I have done…’, referring to the riding and saying the Dhikr. “Then he laughed. I asked him, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what made you laugh?’ He said: 'Your Lord, Glorious is He, is pleased.” When ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) remembered this, it necessitated even more gratitude, so he laughed. He did not laugh only by way of imitation. “…hen His slave seeks His forgiveness; he (the slave) knows”, he says this because he is aware and not heedless of the fact that: “...none can forgive sins except Allah.”

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that a Muslim owes his fellow Muslim six things: First: To greet him with peace upon meeting him by saying: Peace be upon you, and he should return the greeting by saying: And may peace be upon you. Second: To accept his invitation when he invites you to a banquet or any other occasion. Third: To give him advice when he asks for it without flattering or cheating him. Fourth: When he sneezes and says: Alhamdu lillah (praise be to Allah), say Tashmīt to him by saying: Yarhamuka Allah (may Allah have mercy upon you); and he should reply by saying: Yahdīkum Allah was yuslih bālakum (may Allah guide you and set your affairs right). Fifth: To visit him and check on him when he is sick. Sixth: To pray over him when he dies and follow his funeral until he is buried.

Ash-Shawkāni said: What is meant by (The Muslim's right) is that it should not be neglected, and fulfilling it is either obligatory or firmly recommended in such a way that makes it similar to the obligation that must not be neglected.

Responding to a greeting of peace is an individual obligation if the greeting is directed at a single person, and if directed at a group, it suffices if one of them responds. As for initiating the greeting of peace, it is basically an act of Sunnah.

One of the Muslim’s rights over his fellow Muslims is to visit him when he is sick, as it brings joy and comfort to his heart and is considered a communal obligation.

It is obligatory to respond to an invitation unless it involves a sin. If the invitation is to a wedding banquet, the majority hold that it is obligatory to respond unless there is a valid excuse under the Shariah. However, if the invitation is for something other than a wedding banquet, the majority consider it recommended.

Saying Tashmīt to the sneezer is obligatory upon whoever hears him praising Allah.

The perfection of the Shariah and its emphasis on strengthening the bonds of society and faith, as well as the ties of love among its members.

(Say Tasmīt to him) and in some versions "Tashmīt" with "s" and with "sh": a supplication for goodness and blessing. It was said that "Tashmīt" means: May Allah keep you away from gloating and protect you from what may cause your enemy to rejoice over you. "Tasmīt" means: may Allah guide you to the straight path.

This Hadīth states that it is the duty of scholars, just as it was the duty of the prophets, to clarify all forms of good, encourage people to perform it, and guide them to its path. It is also their duty to clarify all forms of evil and warn people against it. The Hadīth shows that the early generations of this Ummah were granted safety from trials, whereas its late generations will be afflicted with evil and trials that will make the coming trials trivialize the previous trials. Safety (from these trials) lies in monotheism, adherence to the Sunnah, kind treatment of people, abidance by the pledge given to the ruler and refraining from rebelling against him, and killing whoever wishes to create dissension among the Muslims.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that whoever imitates some people - disbelievers, sinners, or righteous - by engaging in any of their peculiar traits, such as their creeds, acts of worship, or habits, becomes one of them. This is because outward imitation of them leads to inward imitation. In fact, imitation of any people indicates admiration of them, and it may result in loving, respecting, and inclining toward them, which may also prompt a person to even imitate them inwardly and in their worship - Allah forbid.

We are warned of imitating disbelievers and wicked people.

We are urged to imitate the righteous and follow in their footsteps.

Outward imitation brings about inward love.

A person will be sinful and worthy of punishment in accordance with the type and degree of his imitation of them.

The prohibition regarding the imitation of the disbelievers pertains to their religion and peculiar habits. Other things, like learning professions and so on, do not fall under this prohibition.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the gravest sins and he answered: The gravest sin is major Shirk (polytheism), which means setting up an equal or a rival to Allah in His worship, Lordship, or His names and attributes. Allah Almighty does not forgive this sin except through repentance. If one dies in this state of major Shirk, he will dwell in Hellfire forever. The second gravest sin is killing one's child out of fear that he may share his food with him. So, killing a soul is unlawful, but the sin becomes graver when the killed person is a relative of the killer, and the gravity of the sin increases even more if the killer's motive is fear that the killed person would share with him the sustenance provided by Allah. The third gravest sin is committing adultery with his neighbor's wife by trying to deceive her, so he can have sexual intercourse with her and make her submit to him. Adultery is unlawful but the sin becomes graver when committed with the wife of one's neighbor, whom one is ordered by Shariah to treat with kindness, benevolence, and good companionship.

Sins vary in terms of gravity and good deeds vary in terms of merit.

The gravest sin is associating partners with Allah Almighty, then killing one's child for fear that he may share his food with him, and then committing adultery with the wife of one's neighbor.

Sustenance lies in the Hand of Allah and He has guaranteed provision for His creatures.

Significance of the neighbor's rights and how harming him is much graver than harming anyone else.

The Creator is the One worthy of worship, alone with no partner.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that a Muslim should desert his fellow Muslim for more than three nights. None of them greets the other or talks to him when they meet. The best of such two estranged persons is the one who tries to end their estrangement, so he greets the other first. The kind of desertion intended in this Hadīth is what a person engages in for his own sake. However, a person may desert others for the sake of Allah Almighty, like deserting sinners, heretic innovators, and bad companions. This does not have a time limit. Instead, it is contingent on a cause and should end when the cause is no longer there.

It is permissible to desert someone for three days or less. Taking human nature into consideration, desertion for this period of three days is allowed so as to give a chance for the cause behind this to go away.

The Hadīth points out the merit of the greeting of peace and that it removes ill feelings and is a sign of love.

Islam is keen on the existence of brotherliness and friendliness among its followers.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned against causing harm or hardship to a Muslim in any matter, in himself, his wealth, or his family, and that whoever does so, Allah will subject him to a punishment similar to his action.

It is prohibited to harm Muslims or put them in hardship.

Allah Almighty takes revenge for His servants.

‘Ā’ishah, Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) informed that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said during his illness that became severe and led to his death: May Allah curse the Jews and Christians and expel them from His mercy, for they took the graves of their prophets as places of worship by building over graves, praying at them, or facing them in worship. Then she (may Allah be pleased with her) said: If it were not for that prohibition and warning from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and the Companions' fear that his grave might be treated the way the Jews and Christians treated the graves of their prophets, his grave would have been made apparent and prominent.

This is one of his final advices, which indicates its significance and the need to give it careful attention.

The emphatic prohibition and strict forbiddance of taking graves as places of worship or intentionally praying at them, except for the funeral prayer, as this leads to venerating the deceased, circumambulating his grave, touching its corners, or calling upon his name—all of which are acts and means of Shirk (polytheism).

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was so attentive and careful about Tawhīd (monotheism) and fearful about venerating the graves, for this leads to Shirk.

Allah Almighty protected His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from having acts of Shirk committed at his grave. He inspired his Companions and those who came after them to safeguard his grave by keeping it from being made prominent.

The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) adhered to the Prophet's advice and were diligent in preserving Tawhīd.

The prohibition of imitating the Jews and Christians, and that building over graves is one of their practices.

Offering prayer at the graves or towards them falls under taking the graves as places of worship, even if no mosque is built there.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade and warned against some of the practices of the people of Jāhliyyah, saying: He is not one of us: First: The one who slaps the cheeks, and the cheek is mentioned in particular because it is the part usually slapped; otherwise, slapping the rest of the face is included in the prohibition. Second: The one who splits the opened part of the garment through which the head is entered due to severe discontentment. Third: The one who calls out with the calls of the people of Jāhiliyyah, like supplicating for ruin and destruction, wailing, lamenting, etc.

The threat in the Hadīth denotes that such acts are from the major sins.

It is obligatory to adopt patience in dealing with calamities. It is prohibited to express discontent about the painful experiences predestined by Allah through wailing, lamenting, shaving, tearing clothes, etc.

It is prohibited to imitate the practices of Jāhiliyyah that have not been approved by the Legislator.

There is nothing wrong with sadness and crying, as they do not contradict patience with Allah's predestination; rather, they are a mercy that Allah has placed in the hearts of relatives and loved ones.

A Muslim should be content with Allah's predestination, and if he does not feel content, then patience is obligatory upon him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged his Ummah to read the Qur’an, and said that if they do so, on the Day of Resurrection Allah, the Almighty, will make the reward of their Qur'an recitation come in the form of an independent entity who will intercede for those who had read the Qur'an, those who were preoccupied with it, and those who abided by its commands and prohibitions.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded that anyone who has wronged his Muslim brother—whether in honor, wealth, or blood—must seek his pardon while still in this worldly life, before the Day of Judgment comes, where neither a gold dinar nor a silver dirham will benefit him as ransom. On that Day, compensation will be made by good and bad deeds: the one who was wronged will take from the good deeds of the wrongdoer in proportion to the injustice done to him. And if the wrongdoer has no good deeds, then the sins of the oppressed will be placed upon the oppressor, in equal measure to the wrong committed.

The importance of being keen to avoid wrongdoing and transgression.

An exhortation to hasten in clearing oneself from any unsettled dues or wrongs against others.

Righteous deeds are corrupted and their reward is lost by wronging and harming others.

The rights of people are not forgiven by Allah unless they are returned to their rightful owners.

The dinar and dirham are means of gaining benefit in this worldly life, but on the Day of Judgment, only good and bad deeds will be of value.

Some scholars have stated regarding the matter of honor: If the one who was wronged is unaware of the offense, there is no need to inform him. For example, if a person had insulted someone in a gathering and later repented, he does not need to tell the wronged person. Rather, he should seek forgiveness for him, supplicate for him, and speak well of him in the same gatherings where he used to insult him. By doing this, he clears himself of the transgression.

This Hadīth highlights fear of the Day of Judgment and of the torment of Hellfire. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that there are people on the Day of Judgment who will be taken by fire up to their ankles, others up to their knees, others up to their waists, and others up to their necks. People will vary in terms of punishment according to their deeds in the worldly life.

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) tells that the ‘Asr (Afternoon) prayer became due while the Companions were with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in Madīnah. Those whose homes were nearby went there to make ablution. Those with distant homes stayed. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was brought a stone pot with some water in it. The pot, however, was so small to accommodate the Prophet's hand. Nevertheless, the Companions, who were eighty or more, were able to make ablution therefrom.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Allah Almighty said in a Qudsi Hadīth: O son of Adam, as long as you supplicate Me and hope for My mercy and do not despair, I will conceal your sin and eliminate it, not minding about that, even if the sin is one of the major ones. O son of Adam, if your sins grow so numerous that they fill what is between the heavens and the earth, extending over its different corners and areas, and then you ask forgiveness of Me, I shall erase and forgive all of them, not caring about how numerous they are. O son of Adam, if you come to Me after death with sins and misdeeds nearly as great as the earth, and you have died as a monotheist, not associating anything with Me, I will meet these sins and misdeeds with forgiveness as great as the earth, for I am vast in forgiveness and I forgive all sins except for Shirk.

The Hadīth shows Allah's vast mercy, forgiveness, and bounty.

It highlights the merit of Tawhīd and that Allah forgives the sins and misdeeds of the monotheists.

It demonstrates the danger of Shirk and that Allah does not forgive the polytheists.

Ibn Rajab said: This Hadīth comprises the three means whereby forgiveness of sins can be attained: First: supplication along with hope. Second: asking for forgiveness and repentance. Third: dying upon Tawhīd.

This Hadīth is part of what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) narrated from his Lord, and it is called a Qudsi or divine Hadīth. Its wording and meaning are from Allah; however, it does not have the unique characteristics of the Qur'an that include reciting it as a form of worship, getting purified for it, presenting it as a challenge, its miraculousness, etc.

Sins are of three types: First: Associating partners with Allah; Allah does not forgive that. Allah Almighty says: {Whoever associates any partners with Allah, Allah has forbidden Paradise for him.} Second: A person doing wrong to himself through the sins and misdeeds committed between him and his Lord. Allah Almighty pardons and forgives that, if He so wills. Third: Sins of which Allah leaves nothing, and that is people's oppression to one another; in this regard, legal retribution is necessary.

Everyone will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment in the same state he died in.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) described some of what will occur on the Day of Judgment—that people will be gathered after being resurrected from their graves for the reckoning. They will be barefoot, without shoes; naked, without clothing or covering; and uncircumcised, just as they were on the day their mothers gave birth to them. When the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), heard this, she said in astonishment: O Messenger of Allah, men and women together, looking at each other?! The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explained to her that the situation of the standing (before Allah) and the gathering after resurrection will be filled with such terrifying events that people will be far too preoccupied to even notice the nakedness of others.

A depiction of the terrors of the Day of Judgment, and that nothing will distract a person from his own reckoning and deeds on that Day.

Emphasizing the fact that a person only falls into sin when he is in a state of heedlessness; for if he were to remember the greatness of the One he disobeys, or His punishment, he would not neglect His remembrance, gratitude, or proper worship—even for the blink of an eye. That is why, on the Day of Resurrection, people will be entirely preoccupied with themselves, such that they will not even look at one another.

The intense modesty of women during the time of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Here is ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), asking with modest hesitation when she hears that all people will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment unclothed, both men and women.

As-Sindi said: Everyone will be preoccupied with his own condition and will not be aware of his brother’s state. Allah Almighty says: {On that day, everyone will have enough concern of his own.} [Surat ‘Abasa: 37] No one will pay attention to the nakedness of another.

Khitān (circumcision): For males, it is the cutting of the skin that covers the glans (the tip of the male organ). For females, it is the removal of the small fold of skin above the point of penetration, which resembles a rooster's comb.

This Hadīth indicates that Allah laughs at two men. Although one of them kills the other, both will enter Paradise. A Muslim fights in the cause of Allah to elevate the word of Allah, yet he gets killed by a disbeliever, so he enters Paradise. Later Allah accepts the repentance of the killer, so he accepts Islam. Then he fights in the cause of Allah and dies as a martyr.

People will rise from their graves on the Day of Resurrection and stand before Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, so that He will recompense them. Some of them will stand with their own perspiration reaching up to the middle of their ears.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that the believer is good from all aspects; however, the believer who is strong in his faith, resolve, property, and other aspects of strength is better and dearer to Allah Almighty than the weak believer. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised the believer to utilize the available means in what brings him benefit in his worldly affairs and the affairs of the Hereafter, along with depending upon Allah Almighty, seeking His help, and relying upon Him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then, forbids inability, indolence, and slackness in doing what brings benefit in both abodes. If the believer works hard and utilizes the available means while seeking Allah's help and asking Him for goodness, then he should do nothing but entrust all of his affairs to Allah while knowing that Allah's choice is the best. If some calamity befalls him after that, he should not say: "Had I done such-and-such, it would have been such-and-such." "Indeed, 'if' opens the way before the devil to act" in objecting to the divine decree and lamenting what has been missed. Instead, one should submissively and contentedly say: "Allah has decreed, and whatever He wills, He does." Everything happens in compliance with Allah's will, as He does what He wants and nothing can repel His predestination or reverse His decree.

People vary in faith.

Strength in deeds is recommended because it results in benefits that cannot be attained through weakness.

Man must adhere to what brings him benefit and avoid what brings him no benefit.

The believer must seek help from Allah in all his affairs and not depend on himself.

Establishing the divine decree and predestination and the fact that it does not contradict the pursuit of means and the endeavor to achieve good things.

It is prohibited to say "if" during calamities by way of indignation or objection to Allah's decree and predestination.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah, Glorified and Exalted, will say on the Day of Judgment: 'O son of Adam, I was ill, but you did not visit Me.' He will respond: 'O Lord, how could I visit You and You are the Lord of the worlds?'" meaning: You are independent and not in need of my visit. Allah will say: “Did you not know that My Servant, so-and-so, was ill but you did not visit him? Do you not know that if you had visited him, you would have found Me with him?” There is nothing difficult to understand in this Hadīth in the part where Allah, the Almighty, says: "I was ill, but you did not visit Me", because it is impossible for Allah, the Almighty, to become ill, as illness is an attribute of deficiency and Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is free from deficiency. What is meant by "ill" here is that one of the righteous slaves of Allah was sick and the allies of Allah, Glorified and Exalted, were close to Him. For this reason, Allah said: "…if you had visited him, you would have found Me with him", and did not say: "you would have found (its reward) with Me", as He said in regard to the food and drink. This indicates how close the sick person is to Allah, the Almighty. Hence, the scholars said: "The sick person is worthy of having his supplication answered, whether he supplicates for someone or against someone." “O son of Adam, I asked you for food, but you did not feed Me.” It is known that Allah, the Almighty, does not seek food for Himself, as He says: {He who feeds and is not fed} [Sūrat al-An‘ām: 14]. Allah is independent and does not need anyone or anything or food or drink, but if one of Allah’s servants feels hungry and someone knows about it but does not feed him, Allah, the Almighty, says: “Do you not know that if you had fed him, you would have found (its reward) with Me?” This means that you would have found the reward of giving him food saved for you as a good deed, and a good deed can be multiplied ten times and up to seven-hundred times, or as many times as Allah wills. “O son of Adam, I asked you for water, but you did not it give Me any”, meaning: I asked you for a drink, but you did not give Me a drink. He responds: “… how could I give You (water) to drink and You are the Lord of the worlds?” meaning: You are not in need of food or drink. Then Allah says: “My Servant, so-and-so, asked you for a drink, but you did not give him one. Do you not know that if you had given him a drink, you would have found (its reward) with Me?” Providing someone with something to drink when they ask for a drink will win you a reward that will be saved for you as a good deed, and a good deed can be multiplied ten times and up to seven-hundred times or as many times as Allah wills.

In the Hadīth there is a warning against the devil, and an alerting note about his permanent accompaniment of man in all of his affairs. Hence, one must guard himself against the devil, and not be fooled by that which he beautifies for him. There is a blessing in the food that man prepares, and he knows not whether this blessing is in the food he has already eaten, or in that left on his fingers, or in what is left in his dish, or in the morsel that fell. So one must preserve all of that in order to attain the blessing. "Blessing" originally refers to increase, continuity of goodness and benefiting therefrom. What is meant by “blessing” in this context is the achievement of nourishment, safety from harm, and strength in obeying Allah, the Exalted. A point of benefit that doctors mentioned in this regard is that while eating, the fingers tips release what aids in the digestion of food.

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) gave each of the Muhājirūn four thousand dirhams. His son was also from the Muhājirūn, but he gave him three thousand five hundred dirhams only, because it was his father, ‘Umar, who took him along with him when he emigrated and he had not yet reached puberty at the time. For this reason he did not treat him in the same way he treated the adult Muslims who emigrated by themselves. Indeed, the world have not known after the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr As-Siddīq a ruler who was as ascetic and pious regarding the wealth of the Muslims as ‘Umar. This is the duty of any person who is in charge of the affairs of the Muslims; he must not show favoritism to his relatives, nor to a rich person because of his wealth, or a poor because of his poverty. Rather, he should treat each person properly, as this is a form of piety and justice.

One night, the Companions were in the presence of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he looked at the full moon - on the 14th night of the lunar month - and said: The believers will see their Lord in the real sense clearly with their own eyes. They will not cause a crowd to one another, get tired, or experience hardship when seeing their Almighty Lord. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: If you are able to get over whatever distracts you from observing the Fajr and ‘Asr prayers, then do so and observe them fully in their due times in a congregation, for this is one of the causes that lead to looking at the Countenance of Allah Almighty. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited the verse that reads: {And glorify the praise of your Lord before sunrise and before sunset.}

Glad tidings to the believers that they will see Allah Almighty in Paradise.

Assertion, encouragement, and giving examples are among the methods of Da‘wah.

If a plague or epidemic breaks out in a part of the world that the person is not in, then it is not permissible for him to enter that plagued land so as to protect his health and the health of others. If the plague breaks out in a land that he is already in, then it is not permissible for him to leave that land, and he should be patient and accept whatever Allah decrees for him to receive the due reward for that.

While Prophet Ayyūb (peace be upon him) was taking a bath naked, numerous pieces of gold, in the form of locusts, fell on him. Ayyūb (peace be upon him) kept collecting them and putting them in his clothes. Thereupon, his Lord, Glorified and Exalted, called him, saying: Have I not made you rich enough not to be in need of this? He replied: Yes, by Your glory. Yet, I have not taken this out of avarice or greed for this worldly life; but because they are a blessing from You.

Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) was sitting with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he heard a sound from the sky, like the sound of a door being opened. Gabriel raised his head and looked toward heaven, then he informed the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that it was a gate from heaven that was opened that day, and it had never been opened before this day. An angel descended from it to the earth, who had never descended except on that day. The angel greeted the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with peace, and said to him: Rejoice in the good news of two lights that have been given to you, which no prophet before you was given: Surat al-Fātihah and the last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah. Then the angel said: No one will recite a single letter from either of them except that Allah Almighty will grant him the good, supplications, and requests contained within them.

The merit of Surat al-Fātihah and the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah, and encouraging people to recite them and act upon them.

Heaven has gates through which divine commands descend, and they do not open except by the command of Allah Almighty.

Clarifying the great honor and favor that Allah bestowed upon the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), honoring him with what He did not give the prophets before him: these two lights.

Giving glad tidings of good is among the methods of calling to Allah.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to Al-Mundhir ibn ‘Ā’idh, known as Al-Ashajj of the tribe of ‘Abdul-Qays and its leader (may Allah be pleased with him): Indeed, you possess two traits that Allah loves: reason, calm deliberation, sobriety, and avoiding haste.

Encouraging the adoption of prudence and deliberation.

Encouraging deliberation in matters and the consideration of consequences.

Prudence and deliberation are among the praiseworthy traits.

One should praise Allah Almighty for the good character traits He has naturally instilled in him.

"Al-Ashajj" refers to someone who has been injured with a wound on the face, head, or forehead.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warns against persistent wrongdoing by committing sins, polytheism, and injustice to people about their rights, for indeed Allah Almighty gives respite to the oppressor and endows him with a long lifetime and abundant wealth and does not hasten to punish him. But, if he does not repent, He seizes him and does not release him due to his persistent wrongdoing. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited: {Such is the seizing of your Lord when He seizes the towns that are given to wrongdoing; His seizing is surely painful and severe.} [Surat Hūd: 102]

A wise person should hasten to repent and not feel safe from the plan of Allah, if he is persistent in wrongdoing.

By giving respite to the oppressors and not hastening to punish them, Allah Almighty drags them to sin, making them worthy of a greater punishment unless they repent.

Oppression is one of the causes for which Allah inflicts punishment on any nation.

If Allah destroys a town, there might be some righteous people. Those will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment in the state of piety that they died on, and their inclusion in the punishment will cause them no harm.

The oppressed one will retaliate against his oppressor on the Day of Judgment; even the hornless sheep will settle its score with the one that has horns, {and your Lord is not unjust to anyone.} [Sūrat al-Kahf: 49]

This Hadīth mentions that there were men who would collapse while standing in prayer out of hunger and weakness. These belonged to the people of the Suffah, i.e. the ascetic Companions who were destitute and homeless. They were more or less seventy men who lived at the back of the Prophet’s Mosque as they had no homes, no money, and no children. The desert people would think that they were insane when they saw them collapsing in prayer. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to the people of the Suffah: "If you knew what was in store for you with Allah of good things, you would love to be in more poverty and need."

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We would say when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was alive: "What is the Farewell Hajj? We did not know what it meant." The Farewell Hajj was the Hajj that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed in the tenth year after Hijrah, when he bid farewell to the Muslims. He mentioned the Anti-Christ and warned extensively of him. Then, he mentioned that all the prophets had warned their followers of the Anti-Christ, raising their awareness of him by giving many descriptions of him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that the Anti-Christ should not be unknown, because Allah is not one-eyed, whereas the Anti-Christ is and his right eye is like a protruding grape. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that Allah forbade the shedding of blood and the seizing of property without a right, in the same way He had made the Day of An-Nahr, Makkah, and the month of Dhu al-Hijjah inviolable. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then asked the Companions if he had conveyed the message that he had been ordered to communicate, and they said that he had. Upon that, he asked Allah, the Almighty, three times to witness their testimony. he then ordered them to not become disbelievers, killing each other, after his death.

Each and every Prophet that was sent by Allah warned his people of the Anti-Christ because they knew that he will appear and how severe his temptation/tribulation is. The Prophets described some of his features to their people. This Hadīth mentions that he is one-eyed, and Allah is far Exalted above that. Another of his features is that the letters 'k', 'f', and 'r' are written between his eyes. These letters (in Arabic) form the word disbelief, which means disbelief.

Allah will gather mankind on the Day of Resurrection for questioning and recompense. The believers will stand until Paradise is brought near to them, but it will not be opened to them due to the long period of standing on the Day of Resurrection. So they will go to Adam (peace be upon him) and ask him to ask Allah to open the gates of Paradise for them. He will decline, saying that he does not deserve that privilege because of his sin which caused the fall of humanity from Paradise. Adam will send them to Ibrahīm (peace be upon him) because he is the close friend of Allah, and close friendship is the highest station of love. So they will go to Ibrahīm who will say to them that he is not of such a lofty degree. He will tell them to go to Mūsa, since Allah the Exalted talked to Mūsa directly without an intermediary. So they will go to Mūsa (peace be upon him) who will say to them that he does not deserve that privilege. He will tell them to go to ‘Īsa, since Allah created him by a word from Him. So they will go to ‘Īsa (peace be upon him) who will say to them that he does not deserve this privilege. So they will go to our Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and they will ask him to ask Allah to judge between them and open Paradise to them. He will respond to their request, will seek permission, and will be granted it. Trust and kinship will stand on the two sides of the Sirāt, which is a bridge that extends over Hell. People will pass on it according to their deeds. Those who, in the life of this world, hastened to do good deeds will pass swiftly on the Bridge, and vice versa. Some will be saved and some will fall into Hell. It takes seventy years to reach the bottom of Hell – May Allah save us from it!

A man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "I am in hardship owing to need and hunger." So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent to one of his wives who said: "By Allah, I do not have anything except water." He sent to another one, and she said the same. He did that with all of his wives, and the reply was the same from all of them. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who will host that man tonight?" A man from the Ansār said: "I will, O Messenger of Allah." He took him home and said to his wife: "Do you have something we can serve the guest?" She said: "No, only food for the boys." So he said: "Keep them busy with something, and when they want to eat, make them go to sleep." He ordered her to turn off the lamp, and the guest thought that they were eating with him. He ate his fill, while they went to sleep without eating out of honor for the guest of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). When he woke up the next morning and went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) he informed him that Allah was amazed at what they had done the previous night, and such amazement was a sign of admiration, not disapproval, as Allah, the Almighty, admired what they had done that night.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set out for Hunayn, a valley between Tā’if and Makkah, and he was accompanied by some of the Companions who had recently embraced Islam. They passed by a tree called Dhāt Anwāt, i.e., on which things were hung. The polytheists used to revere it and hang their weapons and other things upon it to seek blessing. Thinking it was permissible, they asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to make them a tree like this one upon which they could hang their weapons to seek blessing. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) exalted Allah by way of disapproval of such a request and by way of extolling Allah. He informed them that their statement was similar to that which the people of Moses had said to him: {Make for us a god just as they have gods} When they saw those who were worshipping idols and asked to have idols like those of the polytheists, he clarified to them that by this, they were indeed following their ways. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed by way of warning that this Ummah will follow the ways of the Jews and Christians and will copy their acts.

One may admire something thinking it will bring him closer to Allah Almighty although it keeps him far away from Him.

A Muslim should glorify Allah and proclaim His greatness whenever he hears what should not be said about religion or what is surprising.

Seeking blessing in trees, rocks, and other things is a kind of Shirk (polytheism), as blessing should only be sought from Allah alone.

The reason behind worshiping idols lies in revering them, being devoted to them, and seeking blessing in them.

It is obligatory to block the means and ways that lead to polytheism.

Religious texts that criticize the Jews and Christians are a warning to us.

It is prohibited to imitate the people of Jāhiliyyah (pre-Islamic era of ignorance), the Jews, and the Christians, except in what is proven to be part of our religion.

A man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and talked to him about a matter of his, then he said: "It is as Allah wills and you will." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disapproved of what he said and informed him that coupling the creature's will with the will of Allah using the conjunctive 'and' constitutes minor Shirk (polytheism) and it is impermissible for a Muslim to utter such words. Then, he guided him to the correct wording: "What Allah alone wills," thus singling Allah out in His will and not coupling Him with anyone else's will using any of the conjunctions.

It is prohibited to say: "It is as Allah wills and you will" or any similar words containing the conjunctive 'and' between the will of Allah and the will of the slave, for this constitutes minor Shirk.

Forbidding evil is obligatory.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guarded the sanctuary of Tawhīd (monotheism) and blocked the means leading to Shirk.

When forbidding evil, it is better to direct the advised person to a permissible alternative following the example of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

To reconcile between the Prophet's words in this Hadīth: "It is what Allah alone wills", and his words in another Hadīth: "Say: What Allah wills, then, what you will", we say that the latter is permissible but the former is better.

It is permissible to say: "What Allah wills, then, what you will"; however, it is better to say: "What Allah alone wills".

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the place of 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in his house and found that she had covered a small cabinet, wherein things are kept with a piece of fabric that had images of living beings on it. The color of his face changed by way of anger for the sake of Allah, and he took it away and said: People who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Judgment will be those who try to emulate Allah's creation with their images. ‘Ā’ishah said: So, we made one or two cushions out of it.

Forbidding evil on seeing it without any slackness unless it involves a greater evil.

Punishment on the Day of Judgment varies according to the gravity of the sin.

Making images of living beings counts as one of the major sins.

One of the rationales behind the prohibition of image-making is the imitation of Allah's creation, whether the image-maker has intended it or not.

The Shariah is keen on protecting properties by making use of them after removing what is prohibited therein.

It is forbidden to make images of living beings in any form, even if they are treated with disrespect.

Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would send an army or a military detachment to fight the disbelievers, he would appoint a leader or emir to them to preserve their unity and take care of their affairs. He would advise him to be righteous and to take good care of those with him. Then he would guide him to what they should do with their enemies: they must avoid stealing from the spoils of war and booty, avoid treachery and breaking covenants, avoid mutilating the bodies, and avoid killing those under the age of puberty. They should start by calling the polytheists to Islam, and if they accept that, they should urge them to emigrate to Madīnah, telling them that they if they do, they will have the same rights and the responsibilities as those who emigrated before them. But, if they refuse to emigrate, they will be treated like the bedouin Muslims. On the other hand, if they refuse to embrace Islam, the Muslims should ask them to pay the Jizyah instead. If they refuse to pay the Jizyah, the Muslims should seek help of Allah and start fighting them. If Muslims besieged people in a castle, they were told not give them a covenant or promise in the name of Allah or His Messenger, but instead give their own covenant or promise, because if the covenant is broken, it would be less sinful to break someone’s covenant than to break that of Allah and His Messenger. Likewise, if besieged people request Muslims to apply the judgment of Allah upon them, Muslims should not implement a specific judgment and ascribe it to Allah, as they might not truly implement the exact judgment of Allah. Instead, they should implement their own best and reasonable judgment.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would send his Companions and instruct them not to leave any statue - three-dimensional or flat image - without removing it or blotting it out, and not to leave any raised grave without leveling it and destroying any structure built above it; or making it flat as high as a span above the ground.

Images of living beings are prohibited, for they are means leading to Shirk (polytheism).

It is legitimate to remove wrong things with one's hand if one has the authority or ability to do so.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on removing all traces of jāhiliyyah (pre-Islam period of ignorance), such as images, statues, and structures built over the graves.

Sorcery is one of the most serious social diseases, because it leads to certain evils and malicious results, including murder, usurping money of the ‎people unlawfully, and separating between a man and his wife. Moreover, some activities of sorcery can only be achieved by means of polytheism and drawing close to the devils. The divine, effective cure for such a disease is its all-at-once extermination by killing the sorcerers so that the community would maintain its virtues, purity, and uprightness. This is exactly what the honorable Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) did, as proven by these traditions.

‘Abdullāh ibn Fayrūz Ad-Daylami (may Allah have mercy upon him) said that he had some doubts about predestination and feared that he would end up denying it. Therefore, he asked some scholars from among the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about it in order to solve this problem. This shows that a believer ought to ask scholars about things that are confusing him, as Allah, the Almighty, says: {So ask the people of the message [i.e., former scriptures] if you do not know} [Sūrat An-Nahl: 43]. All the scholars told him that he must believe in the Divine Decree and predestination. They also told him that spending a great amount of wealth would not be accepted from anyone who does not believe in predestination, and that anyone who dies without believing in it will be one of the denizens of the Hellfire.

‘Ubādah ibn As-Sāmit (may Allah be pleased with him) gave his son, al-Walīd, the valuable advice to believe in fate, the good and bad thereof, and explained to him the good consequences of believing in it and the evil consequences of denying it in this world and the next. He supported his advice to his son with the Hadīth of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that states that Allah has decreed the fates of all creatures and ordered the Pen to write them before these creatures came to existence. Hence, nothing in the universe, until the advent of the Hour, occurs except that it was preordained by Allah.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave a warning to those members of his Ummah who practices certain acts by saying: "He is not one of us." Those acts include: First: "Who seeks omens, or has it done for him." Seeking omens is tatyyur in Arabic, and it comes from the word 'tayr' (bird). They used to release birds before taking any course of action. If the bird flew to the right, they would feel optimistic and go ahead with their plan, but if it flew to the left, they would feel pessimistic and abandon their plan. It is not permissible for a person to do this by himself or appoint someone to do it on his behalf. Falling under this is being pessimistic due to anything heard or seen, including birds, animals, people with deformities, specific numbers or days, etc. Second: "Who practices soothsaying, or has it done for him." Whoever claims to know the unseen, through the stars or anything else, or comes to someone who claims knowledge of the unseen, like a soothsayer or diviner, and believes what he says, based on his claim to know the unseen, has thus disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Third: "Who practices sorcery, or has it done for him." Such is a person who performs magic by himself or asks another person to perform magic for him to bring benefit or cause harm to someone, or he ties a knot by connecting a string and practicing magic on it by reciting prohibited talismans and blowing on it.

It is obligatory to rely upon Allah and believe in His decree and predestination. A person is prohibited from seeking omens, practising magic or soothsaying, or asking others to practice them for him.

Claiming to know the unseen is an act of Shirk (polytheism) that contradicts the monotheistic belief.

It is prohibited to believe soothsayers or go to them. Also falling under this is what is known as palm reading, coffee reading, and horoscopes and looking at them, even if only for the sake of merely getting information.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warns us against going to soothsayers - a general term also applying to fortune tellers, astrologers, geomancers, and others who use certain things as means for knowing the unseen - and says that if a person merely asks a soothsayer about anything of the unseen, Allah will deny him the reward for his prayers for forty days, as a punishment for this great sin and misdeed.

It is prohibited to go to fortune tellers and ask them about matters related to the unseen.

One may be deprived of the reward for an act of piety as a punishment for the commission of a sin.

This Hadīth also applies to horoscopes, palmistry, and coffee reading, even if only for merely getting information, for all this falls under divination and the claim of knowing the unseen.

If this is the punishment for one who goes to a soothsayer, then what about the punishment for the soothsayer himself?

The prayers of the forty days are valid and should not be offered again, but there is no reward for those prayers.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that if a person acquires knowledge of the stars and planets and uses their movements and entry and exit as guidance for earthly events, like the birth of someone or his demise or illness, or any other future incident, he has thus learned part of magic, and the more he acquires of it, the more magic he learns.

The Hadīth prohibits astrology, which is telling about the future based on the conditions of the stars, for this falls under the claim of knowing the unseen.

The prohibited astrology belongs to the types of sorcery that contradict monotheism. But it is permissible to look at the stars to determine the directions, the Qiblah, or the commencement of seasons and months.

The more a person learns about astrology, the more branches of magic he learns.

There are three benefits from the stars Allah has mentioned in His Book: an adornment for the sky, signs to serve as guidance, and missiles for stoning the devils.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned in this Hadīth the sins that are considered the gravest and worst ones. These sins include associating partners with Allah, the Almighty, in His lordship or His worship. He started with polytheism because it is the gravest sin ever. Another sin is losing hope in Allah’s mercy, because it involves having ill expectations of Allah, and ignorance of the vastness of His mercy. It is one of the gravest sins as well to feel secure against being dragged by way of favors until Allah punishes the sinner all of a sudden. The Hadīth, however, does not aim at listing all the major sins, rather, it aims at highlighting the gravest of them, because the list of major sins contains so many more.

Classification of sins as major and minor sins.

Shirk is the most fatal and gravest major sin.

It shows the prohibition of feeling secure of the plan of Allah Almighty and despairing of His mercy, as both of them are from the gravest major sins.

It is permissible to describe Allah Almighty as Planner against the deceptive planning of other planners. It is an attribute of perfection, as the dispraised planning is the one made against those who do not deserve it.

A servant should simultaneously be fearful of Allah and hoping for His mercy. When he fears Him, he should not despair of His mercy; and when he hopes for His mercy, he should not totally feel secured.

Affirming the attribute of mercy for Allah Almighty in a way that befits His majesty.

It shows the obligation to think positively of Allah Almighty.

Glory and Pride are two attributes exclusive to Allah, and none shares them with Him as one does not share the cloak and lower garment he wears with anybody else. Allah, the Almighty, made these two attributes inherent in Him. These two unique attributes cannot be ascribed to anyone besides Allah. So, whoever claims glory and pride has in fact vied with Allah in His Dominion. Anyone who does so shall be punished by Allah, the Almighty.

This Hadīth contains a severe threat and strong warning for those who commit any of these three acts; so what about the one who commits all of them? The first act refers to someone who knows his real father and is sure about his lineage, yet he denies it and acts as if he doesn't know who his father is and claims that his father is someone else, or ascribes himself to another tribe other than his own. The second act refers to someone who knowingly makes a claim of something that does not belong to him, such as lineage, wealth, a right, a deed, or knowledge. It also includes the person who falsely claims having a particular kind of characteristic and takes advantage of it to draw people's attention to him. Not only shall this person suffers severe punishment, but also the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has disassociated himself from him and asked this person to choose his abode in Hell because he is one of its inhabitants. The third act refers to someone who labels an innocent Muslim with disbelief, Judaism, Christianity, or enmity to Allah. Such false charges shall return to the one who makes them, because he is more deserving of these detestable attributes than the Muslim who is free from such accusations.

Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib (may Allah be pleased with him) related a very interesting story that took place during the Prophet’s lifetime. A man was reciting Sūrat al-Kahf, and there was a horse near him, tied with a rope. Then, something like a cloud overshadowed him and started to come closer and closer. Frightened upon seeing that, the horse began to trample. The following morning, this man went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and related to him what had happened. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed him that this was tranquility descending due to the Qur’an’s recitation. This was a miracle-like event for this Companion and a proof from Allah, the Almighty, that His word is the truth. The man referred to in this Hadīth is Usayd ibn Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him).

The Hadīth of Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) states that they were with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey. They would say "there is no god but Allah" and "Allah is the Greatest" in a loud voice." So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O people, do not trouble yourselves too much", meaning take it easy and do not burden yourselves with raising your voices, because the One you are calling is not deaf or absent. You are calling Allah, the Almighty, Who is All-Hearing, Answering your call, and Near to all. He has no need seeing you burdening yourselves with raising your voices when glorifying, praising, or exalting Him. This is because Allah, the Exalted, hears and sees everything. He is Near and encompasses everything in spite of the fact that He is above the heavens. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) highlights that Allah, the Almighty, is completely Hearing, Seeing, and Near as He possesses the highest level of all perfect attributes. The very hidden movement never escapes His hearing. He hears the crawling of the ant on the black rock in the darkness of night, and even what is quieter than that. Similarly, no screen covers anything from His sight. He hears your tones, the sounds of your breath, and any word you utter. Allah sees your movements. He is with you and Near to those who call Him. He is also with all of His creatures in a away that He knows and encompasses them. The whole creation is in His grasp. Yet, He is above His throne and high above all of His creation. No secrets of the creation are hidden from Him, whatever it may be. Hearing and Seeing are two attributes affirmed to Allah, the Exalted, in a way that befits His Majesty without asking how, resembling Allah to any of His creation, or distorting the wording or the meaning.

Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) after having listened to his beautiful, measured recitation of the Qur’an, said to him: “You have been endowed with one of the melodious voices of the family of Dawūd.” “One of the melodious voices of the family of Dawūd” means the voice of Dawūd himself. Prophet Dawūd (peace be upon him) had such a beautiful and melodious voice that Allah, the Almighty, says about him: {"O mountains, repeat [Our] praises with him, and the birds [as well].” And We made iron pliable for him} [Sūrah Saba': 10]. The phrase “the family of so-and-so” may sometimes be used to refer to the person himself. Indeed, none of them was given a voice as melodious as that of Prophet Dawūd (peace be upon him).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf by heart will be protected, guarded, and shielded from the trial of the Antichrist, who will appear at the end of time and claim divinity. His trial will be the greatest trial on Earth from the time of Adam's creation until the advent of the Hour, due to the supernatural events that Allah Almighty will allow him to perform to deceive his followers. This is because the beginning of Surat al-Kahf contains wonders and signs that are greater than what the Antichrist will use to deceive the people. Therefore, whoever reflects upon it will not be deceived by the Antichrist. Another version reads: The last ten verses of the Surah from His statement: {Do the disbelievers think that they can take My slaves...}.

Pointing out the merit of Surat al-Kahf and that its beginnings or endings protect against the trial of the Antichrist.

It informs about the Antichrist and outlines the means of protection against him.

Encouraging the memorization of Surat al-Kahf in its entirety, and if one is unable to do this, then he may memorize its first and last ten verses.

Al-Qurtubi said regarding the reason for this: It is said: This is because of the wonders and signs found in the story of the People of the Cave; whoever reflects on it will not be astonished by the matter of the Antichrist and will not be alarmed by it, thus he will not be misled by him. It is also said that it is due to His saying: {To warn of severe punishment from Him}, emphasizing the severity of the punishment and its divine origin. This aligns with what the Antichrist will claim regarding divinity, his dominance, and the magnitude of his trial. This is why the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized the seriousness of his matter, warned against him, and sought refuge from his trial. Therefore, the meaning of the Hadīth is that whoever reads these verses, reflects on them, and understands their meaning will be cautious and safe from him.

Shaddād ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) relates in this Hadīth that he learned two things from the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): 1. “Indeed, Allah is benevolent and He loves benevolence to everything.” “The Benevolent” is one of the names of Allah, the Almighty, and it means the Bestower of favor, the Benefactor, the Merciful, and the Compassionate. So, our Lord loves graciousness, benevolence, mercy, and compassion in all matters. 2. It is based on the first thing. “So, if you kill, kill benevolently, and if you slaughter, slaughter benevolently. Let one of you sharpen his blade and relieve his animal of suffering.” In other words, if you kill a soul justly and lawfully, like a warring disbeliever, an apostate, or a murderer, you should do so in a good manner. Likewise, if you slaughter animals, you should do this well, by sharpening your blade and acting swiftly, so as to alleviate the suffering of the animal. It is also favorable not to sharpen the blade in front of the animal, slaughter one animal in the presence of another, or drag the animal to its slaughter place.

In the Hadīth Qudsi, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that Allah Almighty informs about the polytheists and the disbelievers that they lie against Him and attribute imperfections and deficiencies to Him and they have no right to do so. As for lying against Allah: They claim that Allah will not bring them back to life after death as He created them at first from nothing. He refuted their claim saying that the One Who started the creation from nothing is capable of resurrecting them; rather, this is easier, although both the creation and resurrection are equally easy for Allah as He is competent over all things. As for their insulting Him: They say that He has a son, but He again refuted their claim, saying that He is the One and Only Who possesses all perfection in His names, attributes, and acts; the One Who is far above any imperfections and deficiencies; the Eternal Refuge Who needs none and Who is needed by everyone; He is the father of none and the child of none, and there is none comparable to Him, not an equal or peer.

Establishing perfect ability for Allah Almighty.

Establishing resurrection after death.

The disbelief of whoever denies resurrection or attributes a son to Allah Almighty.

Allah Almighty has no equal or peer.

The extreme forbearance of Allah Almighty and how He gives respite to the disbelievers so that they may repent and return to Him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says, "Allah has appointed an angel in charge of the womb", i.e. Allah, the Almighty, has assigned an angel to be in charge of the womb, which is the place where a child is created inside his mother. "And the angel says: 'O Lord, (it is) a sperm drop!", i.e. O Lord, this is a sperm drop, which is the man's semen. The same applies to the next statement: "O Lord, (it is now ) a clot!", i.e. O Lord, this is a clot; which is thick blood stuck together. Then he says, "O Lord, (it is now) a piece of flesh", i.e. O Lord, this is a piece of flesh. It was explained in another narration that each of these development stages in the womb takes forty days. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then, when Allah wills to complete its creation", i.e. the small piece of flesh because it is the last stage of development, and completing its creation is by blowing the soul into it after 120 days, as mentioned in another narration. Then the angel says: "O Lord, (will it be) a male or female?", i.e. so I can write it down. "Wretched or blessed?", i.e. is it a wretched one from the inhabitants of Hellfire, then I will write it down, or a happy one from the inhabitants of Paradise then I will write it down. "How much will his provisions be?", i.e. will it be little or abundant? "How long will he live?", i.e. will he have a long or short life? "All that is written while the fetus is still in his mother's womb", i.e. the angel will write down everything mentioned just as Allah orders him, while the fetus is still in its mother's womb.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tells that when Allah wants to inflict punishment upon people as a penalty for their bad deeds, the punishment befalls whoever is among them even those among them who are not like them (do not commit the same sins). It means that Allah, the Almighty, destroys all people when evil becomes rampant and sins are committed openly. On the day of Judgment, each of them will be resurrected according to his own deeds. If the deeds are righteous, then the outcome shall be good; otherwise, it shall be bad. Such punishment serves as a means of purification for the righteous people and a means of revenge against the evil ones. Resurrecting the righteous according to their deeds is an act of justice, because they will be rewarded for these good deeds in the Hereafter. In this life, however, whatever befalls them of affliction is expiation for any bad deed they have done. Thus, the punishment sent upon the sinners in the worldly life encompasses those who were with them but did not disapprove of their sins, as a consequence of the adulation they showed to the sinners. Then, on the Day of Judgment, each of them will be recompensed according to his deeds.

The Kursi, which Allah has attributed to Himself, is the resting place of His feet. This interpretation of the 'Kursi' that Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned is widely known among Ahl As-Sunnah, and it was authentically reported from him. Ibn ‘Abbās was also reported to have interpreted the 'Kursi' as knowledge, but this is not proven to be transmitted on his authority. Also what was reported on the authority of al-Hasan that the 'Kursi' is the Throne, is weak and inauthentic. The Throne that Allah, the Almighty, is above is a great creation, and it is only Allah, the Almighty, who knows Its size and capacity.

Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was late one morning in coming out to lead them in the Fajr prayer, until it was almost time for sunrise. Then he came out hurriedly, ordered them to make the Iqāmah, and led them in a relatively quick prayer. When he finished the prayer, he ordered them to remain in their places in the rows. Then he told them about the reason for his coming late to the Fajr prayer. He said that he got up at night, made ablution, prayed as much voluntary prayer as Allah willed him to pray, and then fell asleep during his prayer. In his sleep, he had a vision of His Lord, the Exalted, in the best appearance, and He asked him: “What do the close angels talk about?” He said: “I do not know.” This question and answer occurred three times. Then the Exalted Lord put His palm between the Prophet’s shoulders until the Prophet felt the coolness of Allah’s Fingers in his chest. The Prophet’s description of his Lord, the Almighty, is truthful. It is obligatory to believe in it just as Allah described Himself, without drawing any similarities between Him and His creation. Whoever has difficulty in understanding this, then let him say what those who are firmly grounded in knowledge have said: as Allah says about them in the Qur’an: {We believe in it, all of it is from our Lord}, and he should not burden himself with trying to interpret what he has no knowledge of, lest it leads him to ruin. Any time the believers hear speech which is similar to this, they should say: this is what Allah and His Messenger told us, and Allah and His Messenger have said the truth. This only increases their faith and submission to their Lord. When the Lord placed His hand between the Prophet’s shoulders, everything was revealed to him and he knew the answer to the question, so he said: “They are talking and discussing and arguing the traits that expiate sins.” Their arguing is that they compete in recording those deeds and taking them up to the heavens, or their discussing the virtue and nobility of those deeds. These deeds are: walking to the congregational prayer, sitting in the mosque after the prayer to recite Qur’an and Dhikr, listening to knowledge and teaching it to others, and performing a perfect ablution when it is difficult to do so, as in the case of extremely cold weather. Then the Lord said to him: “And then what are the close angels arguing about?” The Prophet answered: “Feeding people, speaking to people with good kind words, and praying at night (voluntary night prayer) while the people are asleep.” Then the Lord said to him: “Ask me whatever you want.” So the Prophet asked Allah to grant him success in doing good deeds and shunning evil deeds; to make him love the poor and less fortunate; to forgive him and have mercy upon him; and that if Allah willed to put a people through a trial that might lead them astray, he would take his life without being put to that trial or being led astray by it. He also asked Him to grant him love of Him, and love of those who love Allah, and love of everything that gets one closer to Allah. Finally, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told his Companions that this vision was true and ordered them to study it and learn the meanings and rulings that it implies.

This Hadīth indicates the majesty of Allah, the Almighty, in the sense that He puts all the heavens on one Finger of His noble Hand. The Hadīth enumerates immense creations, each of which Allah, the Almighty, puts on one of His Fingers. Indeed, if Allah wills, He would put the heavens and earths and everything therein on only one Finger of His Hand. This belongs to the knowledge that Prophets received from divine revelation. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) acknowledged what the Jew said. He was pleased to hear that and even laughed in confirmation of it as ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd reported in another narration. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then recited the verse: {And they have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right Hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him} [Sūrat Az-Zumar: 67]. This verse affirms that Allah, the Almighty, has Hands, confirming what the Jew said. Thus, it would not make sense to deny Allah's attributes, thereby negating that Allah has Fingers on the pretext that affirming this attribute implies a similarity between Allah and His creation. Those who deny Allah's attributes are unaware that affirming this attribute to Allah does not entail such a resemblance. Since we affirm to Allah life, ability, power, hearing, and sight, we are not necessarily implying that Allah resembles His creation. Indeed, {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Sūrat Ash-Shūra: 11].

A Muslim who regularly frequents mosques to perform prayers and remember Allah, Allah, the Almighty, rejoices for him, just as the family of someone who was away feels upon his return. Allah's rejoicing should not be interpreted as clemency or mercy, etc, rather, it should be affirmed as an attribute of Allah without distortion, negation, interpolation, or representation; although rejoicing is associated with mercy and compassion; and Allah knows best.

In the Qudsi Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Allah Almighty said: Whoever hurts one of My pious worshippers, offends and hates him, I announce and declare enmity towards him. "Waliyy" (pious worshipper) is the pious believer, and the slave's share of Allah's Wilāyah (being pious in worshiping Allah) depends on the degree of his faith and piety. A Muslim does not draw near to his Lord with anything dearer to Him than what He has prescribed and made obligatory upon him, performing acts of obedience and avoiding prohibitions. A Muslim keeps drawing near to his Lord through supererogatory acts and obligations until he attains the love of Allah. When Allah loves him, He rightly guides his following four organs: He rightly guides him in his hearing, thus, he hears nothing but what pleases Allah. He rightly guides his eyes. Thus, he looks at nothing except what Allah loves to look at and what pleases Him. He rightly guides his hands. Thus, he does nothing with his hand except what pleases Allah. He rightly guides his feet. Thus, he walks to nothing except what pleases Allah and pursues only what is good. Along with all this, if he asks Allah for something, He grants him his request, and his supplication will be answered; and if he seeks refuge with Allah and resorts to Him seeking protection, Allah Almighty will grant him refuge and protection against what he fears. Then, Allah Almighty says: I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer out of mercy for him because he hates death, given the pain it involves, and Allah hates what hurts the believer.

This Hadīth is part of what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) narrates from his Lord, and it is called a Qudsi or Divine Hadīth. Its wording and meaning are from Allah; however, it does not have the unique characteristics of the Qur'an that include reciting it as a form of worship, getting purified for it, presenting it as a challenge, its miraculousness, etc.

It is prohibited to harm the pious worshippers of Allah, but loving them and acknowledging their merits are encouraged.

It is commanded to show enmity towards the enemies of Allah and it is prohibited to take them as allies.

Whoever claims to be a pious worshipper of Allah without following His Shariah is a liar in his claim.

Being a pious worshipper of Allah can be attained by carrying out religious duties and refraining from prohibitions.

Among the means that lead one to attain the love of Allah and to have his supplication answered is performing supererogatory deeds after carrying out the duties and refraining from the prohibitions.

Indicating the honor and high status of the pious worshippers.

When Allah created Adam in Paradise and shaped his image, He left him for some time before blowing life into him. So Satan started to walk around him in circles and look closely at him to find out what this creation was. When he saw that Adam was hollow on the inside, he knew that it was a weak creature that does not have the ability to ward off the whispering of Satan, or he knew that that creature would commit a sin motivated by his insides (since he sinned by eating from the forbidden tree), or he knew that creatures that are hollow on the inside are weak. Some people considered the words: "in Paradise" to be problematic, given the narrations that say that Allah created Adam from different parts of the earth. The answer that was given to those people is that it is possible that Adam was left like that until he went through several stages and his image was ready for the breathing of life into it, then it was carried to Paradise where life was blown into him there.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs of two traits in people that are from the disbelievers' practices and from the morals of Jāhiliyyah (the pre-Islamic era of ignorance), which are: First: Defaming people's lineages, belittling them, and treating them arrogantly. Second: Raising the voice when a calamity strikes by way of expressing resentment at the divine decree or tearing clothes out of extreme discontent.

Encouraging Muslims to be modest and to refrain from treating people with arrogance.

It is obligatory to deal patiently with calamities and to avoid discontentment.

These deeds are from the minor Kufr (disbelief), and one who possesses any of the traits of Kufr is not a disbeliever, the commission of which leads to apostasy unless he commits major Kufr.

Islam forbids whatever leads to dissension among Muslims like defaming lineages and others.

‘Imrān ibn Husayn, (may Allah be pleased with him) relates a situation of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in regard to combating polytheism and saving people from it. In that situation, he saw a man wearing a ring made of yellow brass, so he asked him about the reason he was wearing it. The man replied that he was wearing it to keep pain away from him. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to immediately remove it. He also told him that it would harm, rather than benefit, him. Indeed, it would worsen the ailment that it was worn for. Even worse, if the man kept wearing it until he dies, he would be deprived of success in the Hereafter.

One of the major signs of the Hour is the emergence of the Anti-Christ, as reported in the Hadīth. This is one of the matters of the unseen in which we must believe exactly as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told about them. His characteristics were fully mentioned so that nothing of them would be hidden to any Muslim. Allah, the Exalted, endowed him with amazing and supernatural powers as a test for the people. He will pass by all parts of the globe save for Makkah and Madīnah. His end will be at the hands of Prophet ‘Īsa (peace be upon him). Then Gog and Magog will emerge and spread corruption all over the world. Their emergence is also one of the signs of the run-up to the Hour. Then Prophet ‘Īsa (peace be upon him) and the believers will implore Allah, the Exalted, till He saves them from these evil beings. Following these weighty events, the Hour will take place, as Allah will have taken the lives of His believing slaves. Thus, the Hour will come while only the most wicked people are left on earth.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked his Companions: Do you know who the bankrupt is? They said: The bankrupt among us is the one who has no wealth or property. He said: The bankrupt in my Ummah on the Day of Resurrection is the one who comes with righteous deeds such as prayer, fasting, and Zakah, but he comes having insulted and cursed this one, slandered that one, consumed the wealth of this one and denied it, shed the blood of that one and oppressed him, and beaten this one and humiliated him. So, the wronged ones will be given from his good deeds. If his good deeds run out before he has settled the rights and grievances due upon him, some of the sins of the wronged ones will be taken and placed in the records of the wrongdoer. Then, he will be thrown into Hellfire, as no good deeds will remain for him.

The Hadīth warns against committing prohibitions, especially those that violate people's material and moral rights.

The rights among people are based on competing, and the rights of the Creator, apart from Shirk (polytheism), are based on forgiveness.

One should use a conversational technique that attracts the attention of the addressed person and provokes his interest, especially in education.

It defines the real bankrupt; he is the one whose opponents take his righteous deeds on the Day of Judgment.

Retribution in the Hereafter may wipe out all good deeds and leave nothing of them.

Allah Almighty treats His servants on the basis of justice and the truth.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting with about forty men of his Companions in a small tent. He asked them: Would you like to be one-fourth the inhabitants of Paradise? They replied in the affirmative. Then he asked: Would you like to be one-third the inhabitants of Paradise? They again replied in the affirmative. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swore by his Lord and said: I hope that you would be one-half the inhabitants of Paradise, and the other half from the other nations, for no one will enter Paradise except Muslims, so the disbelievers will not enter therein. He then added that Muslims, compared to the polytheists from all other nations, are very little in number, just like the one single hair of a different color on the hairy skin of an ox.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that when Allah loves His believing slave who obeys His commands and avoids His prohibitions, He calls Gabriel: Allah Almighty loves so-and-so, so love him. Then Gabriel, the master of the angels (peace be upon him), loves him and he calls the angels in heaven: Indeed, your Lord loves so-and-so, so love him. So the inhabitants of heaven love him, and acceptance is established for him in the believers' hearts that feel love, inclination, and contentment toward him. When Allah hates a slave, He calls Gabriel: I hate so-and-so, so hate him, and Gabriel; thus, hates him. Then Gabriel calls the inhabitants of heaven: Indeed, your Lord hates so-and-so, so hate him and they hate him. Then hatred and abhorrence are established for him in the believers' hearts.

Abu Muhammad ibn Abi Jamrah said: Giving that command to Gabriel before other angels demonstrates his high rank and esteemed status with Allah Almighty above the rest of the angels.

Whomever Allah loves is loved by the inhabitants of heaven and earth, and whomever Allah hates is hated by the inhabitants of heaven and earth.

As-Sindi said: His statement (then, acceptance is established for him on earth) does not necessarily imply general or universal acceptance, but rather it is in accordance with the amount of acceptance Allah wills for him on earth, especially considering that the enmity of the wicked toward the righteous is well known.

Encouragement to fulfill all types of righteous deeds—both obligatory and supererogatory—and a warning against sins and innovations, as they are likely causes of Allah's displeasure.

Ibn Hajar said: From this, it is understood that the love of people's hearts is a sign of Allah's love, and this is supported by what is mentioned regarding funerals: "You are Allah's witnesses on earth."

Ibn al-‘Arabi al-Māliki said: What is meant by "the inhabitants of earth" are only those who know him, not those who do not know him and have never heard of him.

Whoever draws near to Allah with acts of obedience, even if small, Allah will multiply them and reward him greatly. The more he obeys Allah, the more Allah increases his reward and hastens to him with His mercy and favor. This interpretation is based on the premise that this Hadīth is not one about the Attributes of Allah, as is the approach of a group of the scholars of Ahl As-Sunnah Wa al-Jamā‘ah who affirm the divine attributes, including Ibn Taymiyyah. Another group affirmed the attribute of running for Allah, the Almighty, without asking 'how'.

The meaning of this Hadīth is explained in the report of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) which reads: "Each person has an abode in Paradise and an abode in Hell. If the believer enters Paradise, the disbeliever in Hell will take his place in it, because he deserves that due to his disbelief." "This is your ransom from the Hellfire" means that you were exposed to the risk of entering Hell, but this is your ransom. This is because Allah, the Almighty, decreed a number of inmates to enter Hell and fill it. When the disbelievers enter it because of their disbelief and sins, they will become like ransom for the Muslims. Allah knows best.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that faith consists of many branches and elements comprising various deeds, beliefs, and words. And he states that the best and most sublime among the elements of faith is to say "there is no god but Allah" while knowing its meaning and acting according to it - that Allah is the One true God Who is worthy of worship, alone, and apart from all else. And that the lowest act of faith is to remove any object harmful to people from their ways. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that modesty is one of the elements of faith, and it is a character trait that prompts one to do what is good and deters him from doing what is evil.

Faith comprises various levels, some of which are higher than others.

Faith consists of words, deeds, and beliefs.

Modesty towards Allah entails that He should not see you where He prohibited you from, or miss you where He commanded you to be.

Mention of the number does not mean faith is limited to these, but it indicates that the acts of faith are many. In fact, the Arabs may specify a number for something without intending to negate other than that.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified some types of properties and mentioned the recompense of those who do not pay their Zakah on the Day of Judgment. Such properties include: First: Gold and silver and what is similar to them, including money and commercial goods, which are subject to Zakah but were not paid. In this case, they are melted down and poured in the form of plates and heated in the fire of Hell and used to torment their owner, searing therewith his side, forehead, and back. Whenever they cool down, they are reheated, and he continues being tormented in such a way throughout the Day of Judgment, the length of which is fifty thousand years, until Allah judges between the creation and he becomes either from the dwellers of Paradise or Hellfire. Second: The owner of camels who does not pay their Zakah and the right due on them, including milking them for the needy who are present. In this case, such camels are brought, and they are huge, fat, and more in number than they were. Their owner will be laid down, thrown, and stretched for them on the Day of Judgment on a wide, level land where they can trample him with their hooves and bite him with their teeth. Whenever the last of them passes over him, the first of them will be made to return to pass over him, and he continues being tormented in such a way throughout the Day of Judgment, the length of which is fifty thousand years, until Allah judges between the creation and he becomes either from the dwellers of Paradise or Hellfire. Third: The owner of cows and sheep—sheep and goats—who does not pay the Zakah due on them. In this case, they are brought in great numbers, more than they were, and nothing will be missing thereof. He will be laid down, thrown, and stretched for them on the Day of Judgment on a wide level land. None of them will have a twisted horn, no horn, or a broken horn; rather, they will be in perfect shape. They will gore him with their horns and trample him with their hooves. Whenever the last of them passes over him, the first of them will be made to return to pass over him. and he will continue being tormented in such a way throughout the Day of Judgment, the length of which is fifty thousand years, until Allah judges between the creation and he becomes either from the dwellers of Paradise or Hellfire. Fourth: The owner of horses, and he is one of three types: First: They are a burden for him, and this is the person who keeps them for the sake of showing off, boasting, and waging war against Muslims. Second: They are a shield for him, and this is the person who keeps them for Jihad in the cause of Allah and treats them kindly, foddering and feeding them, and lending their males for breeding. Third: They are a reward for him, and this is the person who keeps them for Jihad in the cause of Allah for the Muslims' benefit. They are kept in a meadow and pasture to graze. Whatever they eat is recorded for him as good deeds, and their dung and urine are recorded for him as good deeds as well. They do not break their halter, i.e., the rope used for tethering them, run, and gallop in high lands, except that Allah will record for him the number of their hoof marks and their dung as good deeds. Moreover, their owner will not take them past a river from which they drink, although he did not intend to water them, except that Allah will record for him the amount of what they drink as good deeds. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about donkeys and whether they are like horses. He said: No legislation has been revealed regarding them in particular except that unique verse, which generally refers to all types of acts of obedience and sins, namely the verse in which Allah Almighty says: {So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.} [Surat az-Zalzalah: 7-8] So, whoever possesses donkeys as an act of obedience will attain reward for that, and whoever keeps them to commit sins will be punished for that, and this is a general ruling that includes all deeds.

Paying Zakah is obligatory and withholding it entails a stern warning.

One who withholds Zakah out of indolence is not a disbeliever but he is in great danger.

Man gets rewarded for the details that occur while performing an act of obedience, even if he did not have such details in mind, as long as he has intended the act of obedience itself.

There are due rights in one's wealth other than Zakah.

Among the rights due in camels is to milk them for the needy who are present in the place where the camels are watered because it is easier for the needy than going to homes and kinder to the cattle. Ibn Battāl said: There are two due rights in one's wealth: an individual obligation and another, and milking is among the rights pertaining to noble morals.

Among the due rights in camels, cows, and sheep is lending their males for breeding in case of being requested.

The ruling on donkeys and everything else that is not mentioned by name in religious texts is: They are included in the statement of Allah Almighty: {So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.}

The verse encourages doing good deeds, even if little, and warns against doing evil deeds, even if trivial.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that every believer will stand alone before Allah on the Day of Resurrection and that Allah Almighty will speak to him without an intermediary or interpreter between them to translate the words. He will look to the right and left out of extreme fear, hoping that he will find a way in which he can go and attain salvation from the Hellfire that lies in front of him. If he looks to the right side, he will see nothing but the good deeds he has sent forth. If he looks to his left, he will see nothing but the bad deeds he has sent forth. And if he looks ahead of him, he will see nothing but Hellfire and cannot turn away from it, as he must pass over the Sirāt (a bridge over Hellfire). Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Put a shield between yourselves and the Hellfire by charity and pious acts, even if it is something little, like half a date.

The Hadīth urges giving out charity, adopting praisworthy traits, treating people gently, and speaking tenderly.

It indicates Allah's closeness to His servant on the Day of Judgment since there is neither a barrier, an intermediary, nor a translator between them. So, a believer should beware of violating the command of his Lord.

A believer should not underestimate anything he gives out in charity, even if it is little, for it grants protection against Hellfire.

As the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was on one of his journeys, and the people were in their sleeping places where they would pass the night in their dwellings and tents, he sent someone to the people ordering them to cut the necklaces hung around the camels' necks, be they made of strings - bowstrings - or any other material, like bells or sandals. This is because they used to hang these necklaces for protection against the evil eye. Hence, they were ordered to cut them, as they are of no avail against the evil eye, and benefit and harm lie in the Hand of Allah alone, with no partner.

It is prohibited to hang strings and necklaces to bring about benefits or ward off evils, for this is an act of Shirk (polytheism).

There is nothing wrong with hanging a necklace without a string, as adornment, or for the purpose of riding an animal or tying it.

It is obligatory to show disapproval of wrong things, according to one's ability.

A person's heart should be attached to Allah alone, with no partner.

A group of people came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and they were ten. He accepted the pledge of allegiance to Islam and to follow him from nine of them and did not accept it from the tenth person. When he was asked about the reason behind that, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: He is wearing an amulet, beads or other things that are tied or hung to ward off the evil eye or harm. So, the man put his hand in the place where the amulet was, cut it, and got rid of it, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then accepted his pledge and said by way of warning against amulets and clarifying its ruling: "Whoever hangs an amulet has committed Shirk."

Whoever relies on other than Allah, Allah will give him the opposite of what he intended.

Believing that hanging amulets is a cause of warding off harm and the evil eye constitutes minor Shirk, whereas believing that the amulet itself can bring benefit constitutes major Shirk.

Whoever turns with his heart or deeds or both to something hoping that it would benefit him or keep harm away, then Allah will entrust him to that thing that he is attached to. So, whoever is attached to Allah, Allah shall grant him sufficiency and will make every difficult affair easy for him, and whoever is attached to anything other than Allah, then Allah will entrust him to it and it will fail him.

It forbids attachment to other than Allah Almighty.

It is obligatory to be attached to Allah in all one’s affairs.

It highlights the harm of Shirk and its evil consequences.

One reaps what he sows.

One is recompensed, good or bad, according to their deeds.

Whoever turns away from Allah and seeks help from others than Him shall be failed.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed this Companion that he would live a long life until he would see people contrary to his guidance. Such people would mess up with their beards by imitating the non-Arabs or the extravagant and effeminate people, instead of letting the beard grow and taking care of it. Or they would violate the creed of monotheism by resorting to polytheistic methods like wearing necklaces or letting their animals wear it, believing that such things could ward off evil. Or they would commit what their Prophet declared prohibited, i.e. using animal dung or bones for Istijmār. Hence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked his Companion to convey to his Ummah the fact that he disassociates himself from those who adopt any of these practices.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that if a person says and bears witness that "there is no god but Allah" - which means that none is truly worthy of worship except Allah - and disbelieves in everything worshiped apart from Allah and disavows all other religions besides Islam, his property and blood become inviolable to the Muslims. We only judge according to his apparent reality. So, his property may not be taken, or his blood be shed unless he commits a crime or an offence that entails such punishment as per Islamic laws. And Allah will be responsible for his reckoning on the Day of Judgment. If he is sincere, He will reward him, and if he is insincere, He will punish him.

Uttering "there is no god but Allah" and disbelieving in all that is worshiped other than Allah is a prerequisite for entering Islam.

The meaning of "there is no god but Allah" is to disbelieve in all that is worshiped besides Allah, such as idols, graves, and other things, and to devote worship to Allah Almighty alone.

Whoever holds the belief of Tawhīd (monotheism) and outwardly adheres to its ordinances should be spared any harm until he shows something contrary to that.

The property, blood, and honor of a Muslim are inviolable, unless for a just cause.

Judgment in worldly life depends on the outward aspect, whereas in the Hereafter, it depends on intentions and objectives.

It was reported that some people came to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: When we enter upon our rulers, we tell them things, but when we leave them, we say something else. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Umar said: We used to consider this hypocrisy during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). That is because they failed to speak the truth and betrayed their duty to offer sincere advice. Indeed, anyone who meets the people in authority, be they rulers, ministers, presidents, or kings, is required to speak the truth as it is.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that our Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “None spoke in the cradle, except three…”they were: 1. ‘Īsa, the son of Maryam (peace be upon him) and this was one of the signs of Allah, the Exalted, as he spoke while he was in the cradle. 2. The companion of Jurayj. Jurayj was a man of worship and Allah exonerated him of the accusation that the people wished to attach to him. He revealed this sign as a miracle for Jurayj, when the child spoke declaring his innocence. 3. A child who was suckling from his mother, when a fine looking man passed by on an agile horse. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated the child’s suckling by putting his forefinger in his mouth and sucking it, actualizing the situation (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). The child said: "O Allah, do not make me like him." Then some people came by with a slave girl. The woman was being beaten and accused of fornication and theft, but she was saying: "Sufficient is Allah for me, and the best of Guardians is He." So the mother of the child, while she was breastfeeding him, said: "O Allah, do not make my child like her." So he stopped suckling and looked at the slave girl and said: "O Allah, make me like her." So he began speaking with his mother - the infant sat up and talked to her. She said: "I passed by - or this handsome man passed by - and I said: 'O Allah, make my child like him,' then you said: 'O Allah, do not make me like him.’" He said: "Yes, this man was a stubborn tyrant, so I asked Allah not to make me like him. Regarding the woman; they were accusing her of fornication and theft, but she was saying: 'Sufficient is Allah for me, and the best of Guardians is He', so I said: 'O Allah, make me like her – make me pure of fornication and theft, entrusting my affairs to Allah, as indicated by her statement: 'Sufficient is Allah for me, and the best of Guardians He is.''"

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us about the beginning of creation. He first mentioned that the angels were created from light, and for this reason they do not disobey Allah nor are they prevented by arrogance from worshiping Him. As for the jinn, they were created from fire, and for this reason many of them are characterized by recklessness, vanity, and hostility. As to Adam, he was created from "what was described to you", i.e. he was created from dust and clay. Dust became sticky clay then dry clay, like pottery, and Adam was created therefrom.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Anyone loves to meet Allah, then Allah loves to meet him; and anyone dislikes to meet Allah, then Allah also dislikes to meet him." So ‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked: "Do you mean the aversion to death, O Messenger of Allah? In fact, all of us dislike death." He answered: "It is not as you think." Then he explained to her that the believer believes in the great reward and countless gifts that Allah prepared for the believers in Paradise, so he loves this. He doesn't care much about the worldly life and considers it very little, because he will eventually travel to a better life in Paradise. Therefore, he loves to meet Allah, especially at the time of death when he is given the glad tidings of Allah's pleasure and mercy. He loves to meet Allah and looks forward to this meeting, and Allah similarly looks forward to this meeting. As for the disbeliever (may Allah protect us from his case!), when he is given the bad tidings of the punishment and wrath of Allah, he dislikes to meet Allah, and in turn Allah dislikes to meet him. There is a Hadīth, which states that when the disbeliever is dying and receives the bad tidings of Allah's wrath and anger, his soul disperses inside his body and refuses to exit. Accordingly, the disbeliever's soul is harshly pulled out of the body and forcibly taken away because it is given the bad tidings of evil destination. Allah, the Almighty,, said: {And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the overwhelming pangs of death while the angels extend their hands, [saying]: "Discharge your souls!} [Sūrat al-An‘ām: 93]

The Oxus, the Jaxartes, the Euphrates, and the Nile are four rivers in this world, which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) described as being from the rivers of Paradise. Some scholars said that they are literally from the rivers of Paradise. However, when these rivers were put in this world, they earned the character of worldly rivers and became from the rivers of this world.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that Allah has promised him that seventy thousand people from this Ummah will be admitted to Paradise without undergoing reckoning or punishment, and that with every thousand, another seventy thousand will enter. Then, Allah will grasp with His Honorable Hand three handfuls of people and admit them to Paradise.

The "Rahim" (kinship ties) is related to Allah, Glorified and Exalted. Its name is derived from His name Ar-Rahmān (the Most Merciful). This Hadīth, in general, is one of the Hadīths that talk about Allah's attributes. Scholars stated that such Hadīths should be received as they are reported, and they refuted the claim of those who denied its apparent meaning. The "Hujzah" (literally: a place where the lower garment is fastened) is from the attributes of Allah in which we have to believe without distorting or denying their meanings, without attempting to describe how or likening such attributes to the creatures. So, we believe that the "Rahim", which is the kinship ties, hangs on to it (the Hujzah) and that Allah, Glorified and Exalted, maintains ties with whoever maintains it, and severs ties with whoever severs it. Anyone Allah cuts off will be distanced with the enemy of Allah, the cursed Satan. Even if all the creatures wanted to maintain relations with him and benefit him, it would be of no avail to him.

“Allah created the creation, and when He finished it”, i.e. when He finished creating all the creatures, which indicates that it happened at a specific time. Although there is no limit to the ability of Allah, the Exalted, and no affair keeps Him busy from another, yet His wisdom necessitated setting a specific time for this action of His, and this is one of the things proving that His actions are attached to His will, whenever He wills something He does it. “When He finished it” does not mean that He, Exalted, finished the creation of everything. Rather, His creatures continue to come into existence one after another. However, its coming to existence is preceded by His knowledge, His planning, His writing and His will. So nothing comes to exist except what He has prior knowledge of, plans, writes, then wills. “The kinship stood and caught hold of the "Haqw" of the Most Merciful. Allah said: 'What is it?’” What is apparent from the Hadīth concerning these actions attributed to kinship – standing and speaking – is that they are real, even though "kinship" is an abstract meaning related to people. However, the ability of Allah, Exalted, is not measured by what the human mind knows. Generally speaking, this Hadīth is from the Hadīths of the divine attributes, which should be taken as they are as stated by scholars, who refuted the claim of those who deny its implications. The apparent meaning of this Hadīth does not suggest that Allah has a lower garment and a robe from the same type of clothing that people wear, such as those made of leather, linen, cotton, etc. Allah, the Exalted, says: {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.} [Sūrat Ash-Shūra: 11] “It said: ‘This is the station of the one seeking refuge with You from severance (of kinship ties)'”, i.e. this is the greatest station, and the one who sought refuge with Him has sought refuge with the greatest refuge at all. This indicates the exaltation of maintaining the ties of kinship, and the gravity of its severance. Severance means: lack of connection, and connection means kindness towards kinfolk, showing love to them, drawing close to them, aiding them, removing harm away from them and keenness to bring about what benefits them in this world and the Hereafter. “He said: 'Would you not be content if I maintain ties with whoever maintains you, and sever ties with whoever severs you?' It said: ‘I would, my Lord.’ He said: ‘That will be so.’” So whoever maintains a connection with his kinfolk, Allah maintains a connection with him; and whomever Allah maintains a connection with remains connected to all good and happiness in this life and the Hereafter, and his final end will surely be in the vicinity of his Lord in “Al-Firdaus,” because the connection does not end except there, where he will look at the Face of his generous Lord. Likewise, whoever severs the relations with his kinfolk, Allah severs the relation with him; and whomever Allah severs relation with is cut off along with the enemy of Allah, the expelled and accursed devil.

On the Day of Judgment, Allah, the Almighty, will place the Sirāt over the center of Hell, with solid thorns covering it. Then, the people will be commanded to pass over it. Some of them will pass safely without being touched by the fire; others will be scratched then will be saved; others will fall into the Hellfire. When Allah, the Almighty, finishes judging between His slaves, and the dwellers of Paradise enter it and those of Hell enter it, the believers in Paradise will notice that they do not see some people who were with them on earth and who used to pray, give Zakah, fast, perform pilgrimage, and fight in the cause of Allah along with them. So, they will say to Allah, the Almighty,: We do not see those people with us in Paradise although they used to pray, give Zakah, fast, perform pilgrimage, and fight in the cause of Allah with us on earth. Allah will say to them: Go to Hellfire, and if you find any of them therein, take him out of it. They will find them engulfed by fire each according to his deeds. Some of them will be engulfed by fire up to their feet, others up to the middle of their legs, others to their knees, others to their waists, others to their breasts, and others to their necks; but the fire does not reach their faces. They will intercede on their behalf, so they will be taken out of the fire and thrown into the water of life, which brings to life anyone who is immersed in it. Hence, their bodies will grow again just as plants grow in a flood channel. Then, the prophets will be granted intercession on behalf of every person who sincerely bore witness that none is worthy of worship but Allah, and thus taking them out of the fire. Allah will then compassionately bestow His mercy on those in the fire, leaving no one therein in whose heart there exists an atom’s weight of faith.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that those who show mercy to others are shown mercy by the Most Merciful with His mercy, which encompasses all things - a fitting recompense. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined mercy towards all those on earth, including human beings, animals, birds, and other kinds of creatures. As recompense for that, Allah, from above His heavens, will show mercy to you.

Islam is the religion of mercy, and it is entirely based upon obedience to Allah and benevolence to the creation.

Allah Almighty possesses the attribute of mercy, and He, Exalted be He, is the Most Merciful, the Ever-Merciful, and He brings mercy to His servants.

Recompense is of the same type of action. So, the merciful people are shown mercy by Allah.

During the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), prices of commodities increased, so the people asked him to fix the prices of the commodities for them. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: “Indeed, Allah is the One who fixes prices, the Withholder, the Extender, and the Provider.” This means that Allah, the Almighty, is the One who causes the prices of things to decline and rise. He is also the One who reduces the provisions for whomever He wills, and extends the provisions for whomever He wills. In other words, anyone who attempts to fix the prices will be opposing and challenging Allah in what He wills, and will most probably deny people their rights of raising and lowering prices, which Allah has entrusted them with. Then he said: “Indeed, I wish to meet Allah while none of you will have any claim against me for an injustice regarding blood or property.” This is an indication that what prevented him from fixing the price was the fear that he would wrong them in their wealth, since fixing the prices of commodities involves a sort of disposing of them without the permission of their owners, and this is considered injustice. However, if the vendors – for example traders and the like – agreed to raise the prices of what they have out of selfishness, then the ruler would become entitled to determining a fair price for the goods in order to establish justice between the sellers and buyers. This also conforms to the general principle of bringing about benefits and eliminating evil. If no agreement happened between the traders, and the prices went up only due to the high demand and low supply without any deceit, then it would not be the ruler’s right to determine the prices. Rather, he should leave the citizens so that Allah provides for some through others. Thus, it is not permissible for the traders to raise the prices over what is customary, nor is fixing the prices permissible. This is the proper understanding and interpretation of the Hadīth.

The Lord, Glorified and Exalted, will reveal His noble Shin on the Day of Judgment, and every believer, male and female, will prostrate to Him. As for the hypocrites who used to prostrate to Allah in the worldly life so as to be seen by people, they will not be able to prostrate because their backs will be made of one vertebra or one straight bone. They will not be able to bend nor prostrate, because they did not really prostrate to Allah in the worldly life, rather they only prostrated to their worldly purposes. It is not permissible to interpret Allah's Shin as hardship, distress and so on. Rather it is obligatory to affirm this attribute for Allah, the Almighty, without asking 'how', and without drawing resemblance or similitude, and without stripping it of its true meaning.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man bathing in a wide open area while being naked. Thus, he ascended the pulpit, praised Allah and extolled Him, then he said: "Verily, Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is characterized by modesty and concealment, and He loves modesty and concealment. Therefore, when any of you bathes, let him conceal himself." Among the beautiful names of Allah, the Almighty, are Al-Hayiyy (the Shy and Modest One) and As-Sittīr (the Concealer), and He loves modesty and concealment. Hence, the Muslim should not expose his private parts in front of people when he is bathing, rather, it is obligatory for him to cover himself. Allah, the Almighty, is described as Modest in a manner that befits Him, not like the modesty of creatures, which is basically a change and embarrassment that overcome one when fearing blame or dispraise. Rather, the modesty of Allah is leaving whatever does not befit the vastness of His mercy, the perfection of His generosity and munificence, and the greatness of His forbearance and pardon.

If the slave gets close to Allah by a hand-span, Allah will get close to him by a cubit. If the slave gets close to Allah by something more than that, Allah will get close to him by an even wider span. If the slave comes towards his Lord, Allah will come towards him even faster. Getting close and coming forth are both confirmed attributes of Allah, Glorified and Exalted, and we believe in them without giving them a special form or example, and without distorting the meaning or interpreting them figuratively.

When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the mosque, he would say: "I seek refuge with Allah, the Majestic" i.e., I resort and turn for help to Allah and His attributes. "and in His noble Countenance" i.e., the Generous Giver. "and in His eternal dominion" i.e., His dominance, power, and the ability to vanquish anyone of His creation He wills. 'eternal' i.e., permanent, timeless. "from the accursed devil", who is banished and expelled from the mercy of Allah. i.e., O Allah, protect me from his whisperings, his temptations, his steps, his ideas, his insinuations, and his misguidance, for he is the one who causes misguidance and leads to temptation and ignorance. It was said to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr: "Is that all?" i.e., did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say that only? He said: Yes. If a person says this supplication upon entering the mosque, the devil will say: He has protected himself from me the whole time, during the day and night.

The Hadīth demonstrates the merit of saying this Dhikr upon entering the mosque and that it protects the one who says it from the devil for the rest of the day.

It warns of the devil and points out that he lies in wait for the Muslim to misguide and allure him.

A person is protected from the misguidance and deviation of the devil in proportion to how much he believes in Allah in his heart and how much he is mindful of this supplication and believes Allah's promise that results from it.

Khawlah bint Tha‘labah was married to Aws ibn As-Sāmit who said to her: "You are to me like my mother's back," i.e. you are no longer lawful for me as a wife. So she went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned this to him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "You have become unlawful for him (as a wife)." So she started to say in a low voice which not even ‘Ā'ishah could hear though she was near her: "After I have become old, he (meaning her husband) says this to me. I complain to Allah about (my) children who, if they stayed with me, would be hungry, and if they stayed with him, would be lost." This was her argument with the Messenger of Allah that Allah mentioned in the Quran: {Certainly has Allah heard the speech of the one who argues with you [O Muhammad] concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allah. And Allah hears your dialogue.} So ‘Ā'ishah said: "Praise be to Allah Whose hearing encompasses all voices." i.e. He heard everything and did not miss anything thereof even if it were murmured in a very low voice. "Khawlah came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) complaining about her husband, but I could not hear what she was saying. Then Allah, Glorified and Exalted, revealed the verse: {Certainly has Allah heard the speech of the one who argues with you [O Muhammad] concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allah. And Allah hears your dialogue.} [Sūrat al-Mujādilah: 1]" This means that when Khawlah came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to complain about her husband, she was talking in a very low voice that ‘Ā'ishah could not hear even though she was near her. Nevertheless, Allah, the Almighty, heard what Khawlah said from above seven heavens and revealed this verse. This verse and this incident are among the major proofs that "hearing" is one of the attributes of Allah, the Almighty. This is an indisputably established fact of religion, and no one denies it except one who has gone astray. ‘Ā'ishah's statement is proof that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) believed in the texts based upon their apparent meaning which immediately comes to mind and is readily understood from them. This is what Allah required of them and other than them and of His Messenger. Had this, which they believed and affirmed regarding this issue, been incorrect, then Allah would have clarified to them that it was wrong. None of them was reported to have interpreted these texts to mean other than their apparent indication, neither with authentic nor weak chains of narration, although the motives to report such an issue existed.

Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that if he saw a man with his wife, he would strike him with the sharpest part of his sword, i.e. he would kill him immediately without hesitation. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) approved of what he said and informed that he is more jealous than Sa‘d, and that Allah is more jealous than him. The jealousy of Allah, the Almighty, is one of Allah’s attributes which are peculiar to Him, not the same jealousy of the creatures. Rather, it is an attribute befitting His grandeur, like anger, pleasure, and other attributes that are unique to Him. The linguistic meaning of 'Shakhs' is whatever is elevated and prominent, and Allah, Exalted, is more prominent, mightier, and greater than everything. So, there is no problem in referring to Allah, the Almighty, by this word, as per the principle of Ahl As-Sunnah, who restrict themselves to what Allah and His Messenger said. Then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Because of His jealousy, Allah has prohibited immorality, the apparent and the hidden thereof”, i.e. one of the effects of Allah’s jealousy is that He has forbidden His slaves from approaching immorality, which includes whatever is regarded as heinous and obscene by purified souls and intact minds, such as fornication. The apparent forms of immorality include what is done in public, and what is committed by the body organs, albeit secretly. The hidden forms include what is done in private and what the hearts conceal. “No one loves warning more than Allah. That is why Allah sent the messengers as bearers of glad tidings and as warners”, i.e. He sent the Messengers to warn His slaves before exacting punishment upon them, as He said (what means): {Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers.} [Sūrat An-Nisā': 165] “No one loves to be praised more than Allah, and for that reason Allah has promised Paradise." This is due to His absolute perfection. He, Exalted, likes His slaves to praise and commend Him for His grace and generosity. For that reason, He bestowed upon them every favor that they could enjoy, and He is pleased with them when they praise Him for that. No matter how much they praise and commend Him, it could never amount to what He deserves of praise and commendation. That is why He praised Himself, and promised Paradise, to be more frequently asked, praised and commended by His slaves. They have to exert as much effort as they can seeking Paradise, which is the ultimate favor.

"None, or nothing, is more patient", i.e. Allah, the Almighty, is the most patient and one of His beautiful names is "As-Sabūr", which means the one who does not hasten to punish the disobedient. It is close to the meaning of "Al-Halīm", i.e. the Forbearing, but "Al-Halīm" is more indicative of granting safety from punishment. "About the offensive statements he hears", i.e. the word offense or "adha" in Arabic language is something that is slightly harmful and has a weak negative effect. Allah informs us that the slaves cannot harm Him as He mentioned in the Qur'an: {And do not be grieved [O Muhammad] by those who hasten into disbelief. Indeed, they will never harm Allah at all}. Allah also says in a Qudsi Hadīth: "O my slaves, you will never have the ability to harm Me so that you would harm Me, nor will you have the ability to benefit Me, so that you would benefit Me." Allah clarified that the creation can never harm Him, but may act in an offensive manner towards Him. "Verily, they ascribe a son to Him", i.e. the son of Adam abuses Allah and insults Him by ascribing to Him something that He is far exalted above, such as ascribing children to Him, and associating rivals and partners with Him in worship, which must be sincerely devoted to Him alone. "Yet He still grants them good health and sustenance", i.e. Allah repays their offense with goodness and benevolence. They ascribe to Allah deficiencies and offense, and attributes that He is far Exalted above, as well as belie His messengers, disobey His orders, and do the things that He has prohibited them from. Nevertheless, Allah treats them with kindness as He gives them good health, cures them of their illnesses, protects them night and day from things that could harm them, and provides for them by subjugating everything in the heavens and earth to them. This is the utmost limit of patience, forbearance and benevolence and Allah knows best.

Some of the Companions asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) if they will see their Lord on the Day of Judgment. He answered in the affirmative, saying that they will see their Lord just as they see the sun at noon and the moon in the full moonlit night, without crowding or competing for it. The similarity drawn here is related to the clarity of vision and the removal of doubt and difficulty. It is a similarity of clear vision in both cases, not of the seen objects. This sight of Allah is different from the sight of Him in Paradise, which is particular to the allies of Allah as an honor for them. The sight of Him in this Hadīth distinguishes between those who worshiped Allah and those who worshiped other deities. Then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said that on the Day of Judgment, a proclaimer will proclaim: "Whoever worshiped other than Allah, let him follow what he worshiped." Another authentic narration says that Allah, the Almighty, is the One Who proclaims. Hence, all those who worshiped idols and stones would be gathered and thrown in the fire of Hell until only those who worshiped Allah remain, both the righteous and the sinful thereof, as well as some remnants of the Jews and the Christians, for most of them will have gone along with their idols to Hell. Hell will be presented to the people in that situation as if it is a mirage. Then the Jews will be summoned, and it will be said to them: "What did you worship?" They will say: "We worshiped ‘Uzayr, the son of Allah." It will be said to them: "You tell a lie; Allah never had a spouse or a son. What do you want now?" They will say: "We want to drink." Their primary request will be water because the successive terrors on that day will have made them extremely thirsty. Hell will seem to be water to them, so they will be told to go and drink from what they see as water. Thus, they will go, only to find that it is Hell with its raging parts, which will be consuming one another, and they will fall into it. The same will happen to the Christians after them, until no one is left except those who worshiped Allah, be they pious or sinful. It will be said to them: "Why are you still here while everyone else has gone?" They will say: "We kept ourselves separate from the people in the world though we were in great need of them because they disobeyed Allah and went against His command. So we did not associate ourselves with them, hating them for the sake of Allah and giving precedence to obeying our Lord. We now await our Lord, Whom we used to worship in our worldly life." Allah, the Almighty, will come to them in a form other than the one they saw the first time. This is an explicit indication that they had seen Him in a form that was recognizable to them before this time. It is invalid to interpret this scene differently; rather, it must be accepted without asking 'How?' or drawing analogies or distorting or negating it. When Allah, the Almighty, comes to them, He will say: "I am your Lord." They will joyfully say: "You are our Lord." Then only the prophets will speak to Him. He will say: "Is there a sign between you and Him by which you recognize Him?" They will say: "The Shin." So He will reveal His Shin, and the believers will recognize Him and fall in prostration before Him. The hypocrites, however, who used to prostrate out of ostentation, will be prevented from prostrating. Their backs will be like one stiff layer, unable to bow or prostrate. That is because they did not prostrate to Allah in the worldly life; rather, they prostrated to serve their worldly purposes. This scene establishes that Allah, the Almighty, has a Shin as one of His Attributes. Thus, this Hadīth and similar ones interpret the noble verse: {The Day the Shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but they will not be able to do so} [Sūrat al-Qalam: 42]. To interpret 'Shin' in this context as 'severe affliction' or 'distress' is an outweighed interpretation. In any case, the Attribute of the 'Shin' is established for Allah, the Almighty, from the Sunnah. The preponderant view is that the verse indicates the Attribute, without asking "How?" or drawing analogies or distorting or negating. Then the Sirāt will be set up over Hell. It is slippery, feet cannot stand firm on it, with hooks to seize some of the passers on the Sirāt and thick flat thorns. The people will then pass over the Sirāt according to their faith and deeds. Those of perfect faith and good deeds that were sincere to Allah will pass like the twinkling of an eye, others will pass like lightning, like wind, etc. Those who pass over the Sirāt will be of four categories: The first: Those who will be saved and safe from harm. They pass at different speeds, as mentioned above. The second: Those who will be saved but will sustain scratches from the hooks or lacerations from the flames of Hell. The third: Those who will be cast into Hell, forcefully thrown into it. The fourth: Those who will be dragged on the Sirāt because they did not have enough good deeds to carry them over it. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There will be none among you more eager to claim a right from me than the believers on the Day of Judgment from their Lord, the Almighty." This is part of the mercy and generosity of Allah, as He permits His believing slaves to implore Him to pardon their brethren who were thrown in Hell because of the sins that they defied their Lord with. He will inspire the believers who were saved from the torment of the Fire and the terrors of the Sirāt to implore Him and intercede with Him for those sinning slaves. This is indeed an aspect of His mercy, exalted be He. They will say: "O our Lord, they were our brethren who prayed with us, fasted with us, and did good deeds with us." This indicates that those who do not pray with the Muslims nor fast with them are not entitled to the intercession of the believers with their Lord on their behalf. It also indicates that those whom the believers interceded for were also believers who worshiped Allah alone. They used to pray and fast, but they committed some sins which entailed entering Hell. This is a refutation of two deviant sects: the Kharijites and the Mu‘tazilites, who claim that whoever enters Hell never comes out of it and that the person who commits a major sin will remain eternally in Hell. Allah, the Almighty, will say to the believers: "Go and take out (of Hell) anyone in whose heart you find faith equal to the weight of a dinar (a gold coin)." And Allah will forbid the Fire to burn the faces of those sinners. They will go and find that some of them will have been overtaken by fire up to their feet, and some up to the middle of the shank or up to the knees. They will take out those whom they recognize. Then they will return and implore Allah again. He will say: "Go and take out anyone in whose heart you find faith equal to the weight of half a dinar." They will take out those whom they recognize. Then they will return and implore Allah again. He will say: "Go and take out anyone in whose heart you find faith equal to the weight of an atom." They will take out those whom they recognize. At this point, Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri said: "If you do not believe me, then recite (the noble verse): {Surely Allah wrongs not the weight of an atom; and if it is a good deed, He multiplies it.} [Sūrat An-Nisā': 40]" The fact that Abu Sa‘īd used this verse as evidence is clear proof that if the slave had an atom’s weight of faith in his heart, Allah will multiply it for him and thus save him from the torment thereby. Then he said: "The prophets, the angels, and the believers will intercede." This is explicit proof that these three categories will be granted permission to intercede. However, it must be noted that any intercession from anyone does not take place except after Allah, the Almighty, permits it, as proved by their imploring their Lord, upon which He gives them permission and says: "Go and take out anyone you find…" He said: "Then the Almighty will say: 'Now remains My Intercession.' He will then hold a handful of the Fire, from which He will take out some people whose bodies have been charred." The intercession of Allah, the Almighty, means bestowing His Mercy upon those tormented slaves, so He takes them out of the Fire. The statement: "He will then hold a handful," establishes that Allah, the Almighty, has a grip with which He holds a handful. There are several texts in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger that establish the attributes of the 'Hand' and 'Grip' for Allah, the Almighty. However, the advocates of distorted, flawed interpretations refuse to accept these attributes and do not believe in them. They shall soon know that the truth is what Allah said and what His Messenger said: and they will realize that they had gone astray in this regard. Allah, the Almighty, will hold a handful of the Fire from which He will take out some people whose bodies have been charred. They will then be cast into a river called the water of life on the outskirts of Paradise. Upon that, their flesh and bones and vision that were burnt by the fire will grow again near that river just as a seed grows from the silt carried by flood water. "You have noticed how it grows beside a rock or beside a tree and how the side facing the sun is green while the side facing the shade is white." This means that their flesh will grow swiftly, because the seed carried by the torrent germinates quite fast. "The side facing the shade is white while the side facing the sun is green" due to its fragility and tenderness. This simile does not necessarily mean that those people will grow with those colors, as some interpreters said: "The side facing Paradise will be white, while the side facing Hell will be green." Rather, the simile is intended to resemble them to said plant in the swiftness of its growth and its fragility. Therefore, he said that they will come out (of the water of life) like pearls in the purity and beauty of their skin. "And they will have seals on their necks" on which it is written: The ones emancipated from Hell by the Most Merciful. "Then they will enter Paradise, whereupon the people of Paradise will say: 'These are the people emancipated by the Most Merciful. He has admitted them into Paradise without them having done any good deeds and without sending forth any good (for themselves).'" This means that though they did not do good deeds in worldly life, they do have the fundamental basis of faith, which consists of testifying that there is no god but Allah and believing in their Messenger. "Then it will be said to them: 'For you is what you have seen and its equivalent as well.'" Apparently, they will enter vacant places in Paradise; hence, this was said to them.

Allah has created every maker and the things that the maker produces. This Hadīth is evidence that the deeds of the human beings are created. Allah has created humankind and has created their deeds as well. Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "There is nothing created on earth or in the heaven except that its Creator, and there is no creator or god but Him. He commanded His servants to obey Him and obey His messengers and forbade them from disobedience, and He likes the pious and good-doers and is not pleased with the defiant sinners. He orders His servants to not act immorally, does not approve disbelief for them, and does not like corruption. People perform deeds actually and He is the Creator of their deeds.. yet they exercise control over their deeds and have free will."

Abu Ramthah was a physician. When he saw the mark of prophet-hood protruding between the shoulder blades of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he thought that it was a lump formed by waste substances. So, he asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to let him treat it because he was a physician. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied that Allah is the Physician, i.e. he is the true healer who treats the disease with the medicine that cures it. His words: “You are only a kind man” mean that you are only kind and gentle to the patient. That is because a physician is the one who is knowledgeable of the true nature of the disease and medicine, and he is the one who is able to grant health and recovery. No one could do this but Allah.

Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr said that he informed Ibn ‘Abbās that a man named Nawf al-Bakāli claimed that the Mūsa who was with Al-Khidr is not the same Mūsa that was sent to the Children of Israel, and it was another Mūsa. So Ibn ‘Abbās said: "The enemy of Allah has lied." This statement came as a rebuke and warning, not to defame Nawf, as Ibn ‘Abbās had said it in a moment of anger, and statements made in anger are usually inaccurate. Furthermore, his words were due to Al-Bakāli saying something that was not true; this does not mean that it was intentional. He then proved that Nawf had lied by relating the report of Ubay ibn Ka‘b from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in which Mūsa stood to give a speech to the Children of Israel and someone asked him: "Who is the most learned person among the people?" Mūsa said: "I am the most knowledgeable of the people." And Mūsa, peace be upon him, said this according to his belief. So Allah, Exalted and Glorified, rebuked him as he had not ascribed the knowledge he had to Allah by saying: "And Allah knows best." So Allah, the Exalted, revealed to him that at the junction of the two seas there is one of His servants called Al-Khidr, who is more knowledgeable than him. Mūsa said: "My Lord, how can I find him?" Allah said to him: "Carry a fish in a wicker basket and when you lose the fish, you will find Al-Khidr there." So Mūsa took off with a young servant of his named Yūsha‘ ibn Nūn, and they took a fish in a wicker basket as Allah had ordered them. And when they reached a rock on the sea shore, they put their heads down on the ground and slept. The fish snuck out of the basket and set off into the sea. Allah held the water back from the fish until it became like an arch over it. Mūsa and his servant were astonished at the fish's coming back to life and also about the water being held back from the fish until it became like a tunnel. They carried on for the rest of their night and day, and when morning came, Mūsa said to his servant: "Bring us our meal, indeed we have become tired on our journey." Mūsa (peace be upon him) had not felt tired until they had passed the place they had been told to look for and then he was overcome by exhaustion and hunger. His servant said to him: "While we were at the rock, I lost the fish." Mūsa said: "This is what we were seeking, because that was the sign of Al-Khidr's presence." So they retraced their steps back to where the fish was lost. When they came to the rock, they found a man shrouded by his robe. Mūsa greeted him with the greeting of peace and Al-Khidr said: "Is there (such a greeting of) peace in your land?" meaning: is there any peace in your land? And it was an inquiry of improbability, indicating that the people of that land were not Muslims. Mūsa said to Al-Khidr: "I am Mūsa." Al-Khidr said to him: "Are you the Mūsa who was sent to the Children of Israel?" Mūsa said: 'Yes.' This indicates that the prophets and those of lesser status do not possess knowledge of the unseen, except for what Allah, the Exalted, taught them, because, had Al-Khidr known all matters of the unseen, he would have recognized Mūsa before asking him. It was for this statement in particular that Ibn ‘Abbās mentioned this Hadīth. Then Mūsa said to him: "May I follow you so you can teach me something of the guidance that you have been taught?" It is noteworthy that learning a non-essential religious matter from someone else does not negate him being a prophet or the possessor of divine legislation, because a Messenger must be more knowledgeable than those to whom he is sent in terms of the foundations and branches of the religion, and not in an absolute sense. Al-Khidr replied: "You will not be able to have patience with me", meaning: as I do things that appear evil on the outside, but you will not comprehend the intrinsic nature of what I do. Then he said to him: "O Mūsa, I have some of Allah's knowledge, which He has bestowed upon me that you do not know, and you too, have some of Allah's knowledge, which He has bestowed upon you that I do not know." Mūsa said to him: "If Allah wills, you will find me patient with you without rejecting or disobeying you in anything." Later, they set off walking along the seashore, as they did not have a boat. A boat passed by them and they asked the crew to let them on board. As they recognized Al-Khidr, they let them come on board free of charge. A bird came and perched on the edge of the boat and pecked in sea once or twice. Al-Khidr said: "O Mūsa, my knowledge and your knowledge compared to that of Allah are like the pecking of this bird in the sea." Then Al-Khidr broke one of the boat's panels and pulled it out with an axe, making a hole in it to drown the crew. Mūsa (peace be upon him) said to him: "These people have let us on board free of charge and you have broken their boat and made a hole in it so they will drown!" Al-Khidr reminded him of what he said before by saying: "Did I not say that you will not be able to have patience with me?" Mūsa said: "Do not hold me to account for my forgetfulness, and do not be harsh on me, as that makes it difficult for me to follow you." So Mūsa’s first mistake was due to his forgetfulness. They continued on after disembarking from the boat, until they came upon a boy playing with some other boys. Al-Khidr took the boy's head and ripped it off with his hands. Mūsa said to Al-Khidr (peace be upon him): "Did you kill a soul pure of sin? We have not seen him commit any mistake that warrant killing him, or did he kill someone and should be killed in retribution for it?" Al-Khidr said to Mūsa (peace be upon both of them): "Did I not say to you that you will not be able to have patience with me?" This time, it was with the addition of "to you," which is more rebuking; and that is why Sufyān ibn ‘Uyaynah, one of the narrators of the Hadīth, said: "And this is more assertive," proving it by the addition of "to you.” They continued on until they passed by a town, and they asked the people for some food, but the people refused to entertain them and they found neither lodging nor shelter in that town. They did however, find a wall there that was about to fall down and collapse, so Al-Khidr made a signal with his hand and straightened it up. Mūsa said to Al-Khidr: "If you wished, you could have gotten paid for that to support us on our journey." Al-Khidr then said to Mūsa (peace be upon him): "This third objection is the cause for the split between you and me." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah have mercy on Mūsa! If only he had had more patience, so we could have gained more of the knowledge and wisdom exchanged between them.”

‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) sent to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from Yemen a piece of gold in a tanned leather pouch. The gold piece had not yet been refined from its dust. He said: He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divided it among four men: ‘Uyaynah ibn Badr al-Fazāri, Aqra‘ ibn Hābis al-Hanzhali, Zayd al-Khayl an-Nabhāni, and ‘Alqamah ibn ‘Ulāthah al-‘Āmiri. A man from among his Companions said: We were more entitled to this than those. He said: It reached the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who said: "Do you not trust me, whereas I am the trustee of the One Who is in the heavens? News from the heavens comes to me morning and evening." He said: Then a man stood up, with deep-set eyes, prominent and high cheekbones, a raised forehead, a thick but not long beard, a shaved head, and with his lower garment raised and he said: O Messenger of Allah, fear Allah, thereupon he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Woe to you! Am I not the worthiest among the people of the earth to fear Allah?!" He said: Then the man left. Khālid ibn al-Walīd said: O Messenger of Allah, should I not strike his neck? He said: No, perhaps he observes the prayer. Khālid said: And how many are those who pray, saying with their tongues what is not in their hearts. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: I have not been commanded to pierce people's hearts or split their bellies; rather, I have been commanded to judge by the apparent aspects of their matters. He said: Then he looked at him as he was going away and said: From the offspring of this man and his companions, or from his tribe, will emerge a people skilled in reciting the Book of Allah with a beautiful voice, their tongues moist from frequent recitation. However, the Qur’an does not pass beyond their throats, and their hearts do not absorb it, so it does not reform them, and Allah neither raises it nor accepts it. They will leave Islam as swiftly and lightly as an arrow passes through its target. And I believe he said: If I live to see their emergence to fight the Muslims with the sword, I will certainly kill them as the people of Thamūd were killed.

Forbearance and patience of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the face of harm.

Establishing the Prophet's prophethood and that what he received was a revelation from Allah.

Treating people according to what appears from them, while their hidden aspects are entrusted to Allah.

Stressing the great significance of prayer, and that the people of prayer are not to be killed except for the right of Islam.

Pointing out the danger of the Khārijites, and that when they fight, it is legislated to fight them in order to prevent their harm.

An-Nawawi said: Encouraging fighting them and the merit of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in fighting them.

The importance of contemplating the Qur’an, understanding it, acting upon it, and holding fast to it.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to recite this verse: {Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing} [Sūrat An-Nisā': 58]. Then he would mention that he saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recite this verse then put his thumb on his ear and his index finger over his eye to emphasize the affirmation of the attributes of hearing and seeing for Allah, the Almighty, and as a rebuttal of the distorted interpretations of the verses of the Qur'an. This gesture is not considered to be drawing a resemblance between Allah and His creation, as Allah said: {There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All Hearing the All Seeing} [Sūrat Ash-Shūra: 11]. Believing in all of the religious texts entails what was mentioned above.

Allah, the Almighty, tells that He asks the Hellfire: “Have you been filled?” because He promised that He will fill it with both Jinn and Humans. Allah, the Amighty, will summon whom He wills to enter Hell. As they are thrown therein, the Hellfire will ask Allah for more. Hence, Allah will put His foot in it, so the Hellfire will say that it has received enough and will contract. It is not permissible to interpret “foot” here to mean those people whom Allah put in the Hellfire. No other invalid interpretation is allowed. It is, however, mandatory to affirm the “foot” as an attribute of Allah, the Almighty, without altering its meaning, denying it, asking how, or drawing similarities.

This Hadīth reports a conversation between Hell and Paradise. Hell boasts of being the destination of Allah's vengeance on the tyrants, the arrogant, and criminals, who disobeyed Allah and discredited His messengers. Paradise, however, complains that mostly the weak, the poor, and the humble are admitted to it. The dwellers of Paradise are, indeed, humble and submissive to Allah. Paradise and Hell have, in fact, had such a conversation, since Allah has endowed them with consciousness, discernment, reason, and speech. Nothing is beyond Allah's power. Allah settled the dispute between Paradise and Hell by saying to the former that it is His mercy by means of which He has mercy upon any of His slaves, and by saying to the latter that it is His torment by means of which He tortures any of His slaves. In other words, Allah created Paradise to have mercy by means of which upon whom He wills of His slaves, namely those who are blessed by Allah and made eligible to be admitted to Paradise. Likewise, Allah created Hell for those who disobeyed Him, namely those who disbelieved in Him and His messengers. Both destinations belong to the dominion of Allah, which He manages as He wills. He is not asked about what He does, whereas people are asked. It should be noted, however, that no one enters Hell except those who deserve it because of their deeds. Furthermore, Allah promised to fill Paradise and Hell with dwellers. Hell clearly asked to be filled; Allah says: {On the Day We will say to Hell, "Have you been filled?" and it will say, "Are there some more?"} [Sūrat Qāf: 30] In response, Allah pledged to fill Hell with both jinn and humans. Paradise and Hell are the abodes of the jinn and humans after reckoning on Doomsday. Those who believed in Allah, worshiped Him alone, and followed His messengers, will end up residing in Paradise. On the other hand, those who disobeyed Allah and disbelieved in Him with arrogance, they will end up residing in Hell. However, Hell will be filled only when Allah puts His Foot. It will then get together and tighten upon those inside it. Indeed, Allah does not do injustice to anyone. The ''Foot'' must be affirmed as an attribute of Allah, without distorting its meaning, denying it, asking how, or drawing similarities between Allah and His creation. Finally, Allah, the Almighty, will fill Paradise with new creation that He will specially create for it.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that Allah Almighty will say to the person receiving the least punishment in Hellfire after entering it: If the world and everything in it were yours, would you ransom yourself with it from this punishment? He will say: Yes. Allah will say: I had asked you and commanded you to do something easier than that when the covenant was taken from you while you were in the backbone of Adam: not to associate partners with Me. But when I brought you out to the world, you insisted on Shirk.

The Hadīth shows the merit of Tawhīd and the ease of adhering to it.

It demonstrates the dangers and consequences of associating partners with Allah.

Allah took the covenant from the children of Adam when they were in the backbone of their father, Adam, not to associate partners with Him.

It warns of Shirk and demonstrates that the entire world will not benefit the disbeliever anything on the Day of Judgment.

Adam and Mūsa (peace be upon both of them) debated with each other and presented the evidence that support their arguments. This may have happened after Mūsa’s death. Perhaps the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw it in a dream, since prophets' dreams are part of the divine revelation. A Muslim has to accept such accounts with submission, as we are not able to know how they really happened. Mūsa said to Adam: "O Adam, you are our father. You did us harm and caused us to get out of Paradise." i.e. you are the reason for our misfortune and misguidance by committing the sin that resulted in getting you out of Paradise. Accordingly, we have become a target for the devils' misguidance. Adam answered him, saying: "O Mūsa, Allah favored you with His talk." Allah, the Almighty, selected Mūsa from among the messengers and honored him by speaking to him without intermediaries and letting him listen to His speech directly. Also, Allah, the Almighty, wrote the Torah for Mūsa with His Hand. A Muslim must believe in this writing without asking how, denying, distorting the wording or the meaning, or resembling Allah to any of His creation. "Do you blame me for an action which Allah had decreed on me forty years before He created me?" i.e. how can you blame me for something that Allah had written for me in the Preserved Tablet and in the pages and tablets of the Torah forty years before I was created? "So Adam confuted Mūsa." i.e. he defeated him with a logical argument. Adam refuted the argument of Mūsa, (peace be upon both of them) by stating that if Allah, the Almighty, knows that Adam will get out of Paradise and descend to earth, then how can he go against Allah’s prior knowledge? Thus, Adam’s proof prevailed, because what was decreed upon him was a matter that could not be changed or avoided. Rather, it was a matter decreed by Allah, the All-Knowing, the Omnipotent, and thus it could not be challenged or undone after its occurrence. He had no choice but to submit to it. Nevertheless, Divine Decree should not be used as a justification for something that has not taken place. This is because man is commanded to obey Allah and avoid sins. Also, he does not know what is preordained for him until it actually takes place. When it takes place, and he cannot stop it, then he can submit to his fate and say: "This is what Allah has preordained, and He does what He wills." He should also ask his Lord to forgive his sin and repent to him. So, Adam clearly refuted the argument of Mūsa when the latter wanted to blame him for being the cause of his offspring's misfortune. Adam argued that this misfortune was preordained and inevitable. A Muslim, in all misfortunes resulting from people's own actions or otherwise, has to show patience and submission. However, this does not absolve the wrongdoer from blame and punishment.

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh al-Ansāri said he heard that ‘Abdullāh ibn Unays had heard a Hadīth from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that he never heard. So he bought a camel for the journey and put his luggage on it, and traveled for a month until he arrived at the Levant. He went to ‘Abdullāh ibn Unays’ house and said to the doorman: “Jābir is here.” ‘Abdullāh ibn Unays asked: “Ibn Abdullāh?” Jābir said: 'Yes.' So Unays ran out quickly and they hugged each other. Jābir said to him: “I learnt that you heard a Hadīth from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about recompense and I was worried you would die or I would before I heard it.” So he said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘The people will be gathered on the Day of Judgment naked, uncircumcised and they will have nothing.’ This means that Allah will gather the people up on the Day of Judgment in one place, hold them accountable for their deeds, and either punish or reward them. At that time, they will be naked and uncircumcised, just as they were when their mothers gave birth to them, and they will have no worldly possessions. Then, he said: "Then an announcement will be made by one voice.” An announcement is only made by a voice, as people notice an announcement accompanied by sound. So ‘voice’ was mentioned here to emphasize the announcement. This is the highest level of clarity that Allah speaks, with speech that is heard and with a sound, however Allah’s sound does not resemble that of the creation. As for the sounds of the creation, only those close-by are able to hear their sounds. Allah’s voice does not resemble that of the creation and that is why he said those far, as well as those who are near will hear the sound. This characteristic is exclusive for Allah’s voice. In contrast, the sounds of His creation are only heard by the ones who are close by, depending on how loud the voice is. There are numerous texts that affirm this, for instance, Allah’s statements: {And their Lord called to them: "Did I not forbid you"} [Sūrat al-A‘rāf: 22] and Allah’s statement: {And We called him from the side of the mount at [his] right and brought him near, confiding [to him]} [Sūrat Maryam: 52] and Allah’s statement: {And [mention] when your Lord called Mūsa, [saying]: "Go to the wrongdoing people"} [Sūrat Ash-Shu‘āra’: 10]. Then He will say: “I am the King, I am the Recompenser.” The announcement that the people gathered on that day will hear; the ones who are far and close: “I am the King, I am the Recompenser.” Allah, the Exalted, is the King. He owns all that is in the heavens and earth. He is the Recompenser Who compensates the servants for their deeds, whoever does good, He will reward him with better than what he did; and whoever did bad deeds, He will give him what he deserves. Then Allah will say: "None of the people of Hell will enter Hell with a right over one of the people of Paradise until I settle his right. And none of the people of Paradise will enter Paradise owing a right to one of the people of Hell, until I offset his right, even if it was a slap (on the face).” Meaning: Allah, Exalted and Glorified, will judge between His servants with justice. He will take from the oppressor the right of the oppressed. None of the inhabitants of the Hellfire will enter it with a right to claim from the people of Paradise, except that Allah will settle this right. This is complete justice. Even though the disbelievers and the oppressors will enter the Hellfire, they will not be oppressed. If they had a right upon someone in the Paradise, they will receive it from them, and similarly is the case for the people of Paradise. So the Companions said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): “How can the people give others their rights when they don’t have any worldly possessions?” The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “By the good and bad deeds.” Meaning: The settlement of rights is done by the oppressed people taking good deeds from their oppressor and, if the good deeds of the oppressors run out, the bad deeds of the oppressed will be taken and added to the aggregate of bad deeds of the oppressor, and then he will be thrown into the Hellfire.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the lowest and least rank and level for anyone who enters Paradise is that He will say to him: Wish, and he will wish, and wish, until no wish remains not mentioned. Then He will say to him: Did you wish? He will reply: Yes. And He will say to him: For you is what you wished, and the like of it along with it.

It shows that the people of Paradise are of various ranks.

Highlighting the greatness of Allah's generosity.

The bliss of Paradise is not restricted to anything specific; rather, the believer will find in it everything he wishes for and desires as a favor, bounty, and generosity from Allah Almighty.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Allah Almighty will say to the people of Paradise while they are in it: O people of Paradise! They will reply: O our Lord, we present ourselves and are at Your pleasure. He will say to them: Are you contented? They will say: Yes, we are contented. How could we not be contented when You have given us what You have not given to any of Your creation! He Almighty will say: Shall I give you something better than that? They will say: O Lord, what could be better than that?! He will say: I shall bestow My eternal pleasure upon you and I shall not be displeased with you ever after that.

Allah Almighty will speak to the people of Paradise.

The Hadīth includes good news from Allah to the people of Paradise that He is pleased with them and will bestow His pleasure upon them, and never will He be displeased with them.

All the dwellers of Paradise will be content with their conditions, despite their different ranks and varied degrees, as everyone will reply with the same words: "You have given us what You have not given to any of Your creation."

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was with his Companions attending a food invitation when a sheep's foreleg was presented to him, which was the part of the meat he liked the most. He took a bite from it with the tips of his teeth and then spoke to them, saying: I am the master of the children of Adam on the Day of Judgment, by way of mentioning the blessing of Allah Almighty. Then he said: Do you know why? He said: People will be gathered on the Day of Judgment in a vast, flat, and extended land, and those who are there will hear the caller, and the observer will encompass them; nothing will be hidden from him among them. This is due to the flatness of the land, as there is nothing for anyone to hide behind from the onlookers. The sight will penetrate them, meaning that if a person speaks, the last one will hear him, and the sight will see them. The sun will draw near to the creatures at a distance of a mile, and they will experience a level of distress and anguish that they cannot endure or bear. They will, thus, seek salvation through intercession. Then Allah Almighty will inspire the believers to go to Adam, the father of humanity. They will approach him and mention his virtues, hoping that he may intercede for them with Allah Almighty. They will say to him: You are Adam, the father of mankind. Allah created you with His Hand, and made His angels prostrate to you, and He taught you the names of everything, and He breathed into you from His spirit. Adam will then apologize and say: Indeed, my Lord is so angry today, as He has never been before and will never be after. He will then mention his sin, which was that Allah Almighty forbade him to eat from a tree, but he ate from it. He will say: My soul is what deserves intercession, so go to someone else; go to Noah. They will come to Noah and say: You are the first Messenger sent by Allah to the people of the earth, and Allah has named you a grateful slave. However, he will apologize, saying: Indeed, Allah Almighty is so angry today, as He has never been before and will never be after. He will add that he had a supplication, which he made against his people, my soul is what deserves intercession, so go to someone else; go to Abraham. They will come to Abraham and say: You are the close friend of Allah on earth. Intercede for us with your Lord; do you not see what we are going through? He will reply by saying: Indeed, my Lord is so angry today, as He has never been before and will never be after. I told three lies, namely his saying: I am sick; his saying: It was this biggest one who did it; and his saying to his wife Sarah: Tell him I am your brother, to be safe from his harm. The truth is that the three statements were actually from the indirect speech, but since their form resembled that of a lie, he was concerned about them out of humility and a sense of inadequacy for intercession. This is because the more one knows Allah and is closer to Him, the greater his fear becomes. He will say: My soul is what deserves intercession, so go to someone else; go to Moses. They will then come to Moses and say: O Moses, you are the Messenger of Allah. Allah favored you over the people with His message and speech. Intercede for us with your Lord; do you not see what we are going through? He will say: Indeed, my Lord is so angry today, as He has never been before and will never be after. I killed a soul that I was not commanded to kill. My soul is what needs an intercession; so go someone else; go to Jesus, son of Mary. Then they go to Jesus and say: O Jesus, you are the Messenger of Allah and His Word that he cast to Mary, and a Spirit from Him, and you spoke to the people in the cradle as a baby. Intercede for us with your Lord; do you not see what we are going through? He will reply: Indeed, my Lord is so angry today as He has never been before and will never be after it, and he did not mention a sin. My soul is what needs an intercession; so go to someone else, go to Muhammad. They will come to Muhammad and say: O Muhammad, you are the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. Allah has forgiven you for what has preceded and what was later. Intercede for us with your Lord. Do you not see what we are going through? I will then set off and come beneath the Throne and fall in prostration to my Lord, Exalted and Glorified be He, and then Allah will inspire me with some forms of His praise and glorification that He has not inspired anyone with before me. Then it will be said: O Muhammad, raise your head; ask, and it will be granted to you, and intercede, and your intercession will be accepted. I will raise my head and say: My nation, O Lord! My nation, O Lord! My nation, O Lord! And his intercession will be accepted. It will be said to him: O Muhammad, admit from your nation those who have no reckoning from the right gate of the gates of Paradise, and they will share with people in the other gates. Then he said: By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, what lies between the two sides of the gate of Paradise is like the distance between Makkah and San‘ā’ in Yemen—or as the distance between Makkah and Busra in the Levant, which is the city of Hawrān.

The modesty of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), his answering the invitation, and eating with his Companions.

It shows the preference given to our Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) over all people.

Al-Qādi ‘Iyād said: It is said that the "master" is someone who surpasses his people and is turned to in times of hardship. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is their master both in this world and in the Hereafter. He specifically mentioned the Day of Judgment because of the supreme and lofty position on that day, with everyone acknowledging his status, and because Adam and all his descendants will be under his banner (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

The wisdom behind why Allah Almighty inspired them to first ask Adam and then others, without immediately inspiring them to ask our Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), is to manifest his merit, as he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is the ultimate in terms of the elevated rank and perfection of nearness to Allah.

It is legitimate for whoever seeks something from someone else to begin by mentioning the best attributes of the one being asked, as this is more likely to have one's request answered.

It is permissible for someone who is asked about something he cannot do to excuse himself with an acceptable reason, and it is recommended to guide the questioner to someone who he thinks is more capable of fulfilling the request.

Reflecting the horror of the Standing and the intensity of the Assembly for the slaves on the Day of Judgment.

The humility of the prophets, as they recalled their past actions to express their sense of unworthiness for this great position.

Affirmation of the Great Intercession on the Day of Judgment, which is for settling matters between all creation.

Affirmation of Al-Wasīlah (the highest rank in Paradise) and the Praised Position (the Grand Intercession) for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

The forms of praising Allah Almighty are endless; this is why Allah inspires His Messenger in that situation with forms of His praise that have not been revealed to anyone before him.

Pointing out that the Ummah of Muhammad is the best of nations. They have special characteristics regarding admission to Paradise, as those who have no reckoning will enter through a special door while sharing the other doors with the rest of the people.

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Ibrahīm (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) brought the mother of Isma‘īl,— Hajar, the Copt, whom the King of Egypt had gifted to his wife Sarah — and her son Isma‘īl - who was then being breastfed - to the vicinity of the Ka‘bah. He left them near a big tree over Zamzam, on a high place upon which the Sacred Mosque would later be built. At that time there were no people there nor was there any water. He left them a leather container of dates and a waterskin. Then Ibrahīm departed to the Levant. The mother of Isma‘īl followed him and wondered where he was going and leaving them in a valley with no people or anything to eat and drink. She asked that many times, but Ibrahīm did not turn to her and instead continued on. Then she asked if Allah had asked him to do this and Ibrahīm said: 'Yes.' She said that Allah would not let them down and returned to her son, while Ibrahīm moved on. When he reached the Thaniyyah near Al-Hajūn, where they could not see him, he stood in the direction of the Ka‘bah and supplicated, raising his hands, saying that he had left his offspring behind in a valley in Makkah with no vegetation, so they would be devoted to worshipping Allah at the Sacred House (where it is forbidden to hunt, cut trees, and fight) and do their prayers. He supplicated to Allah to make people’s hearts quick to love them and to provide them with fruit, so they might thank Allah for His blessings. Allah answered the prayers of Ibrahīm. Hajar breastfed Isma‘īl, drank the water, and ate the dates that she had until there were no more water or dates. She and her son became thirsty then, so she looked at her son writhing in pain, hitting the ground, and rolling around on it. Hajar left as she could not look at him in such a state. She found Safa, the closest mountain to her, and stood on it. Then she looked towards Makkah trying to find people. When she reached the low valley, she did not want to look at her son, so she hastened like an exhausted person, arriving on Marwah. She went seven times between Safa and Marwah in the hope that she would find someone, but she did not. This is the origin of the Sa‘i ritual that people perform during Hajj and ‘Umrah. When she stood on Marwah, she heard a voice and told herself to listen. As she stayed silent, she heard something again. So, she knew that she had really heard it and needed relief. It was the Archangel Jibrīl in the Zamzam area. He dug with his heel or with his wing until water emerged. So Hajar made something like a basin and scooped water into her waterskin and the water gushed forth as she was scooping. Ibn ‘Abbās reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “May Allah bestow Mercy on Isma‘īl's mother! Had she not scooped that water, Zamzam would just have been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth.” By this the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) meant that the water would have been a stream. Hajar drank and let her child drink. The angel told her: “Do not be afraid of being neglected; this is the House of Allah, which will be built by this boy and his father, and Allah never neglects His people.'' The place for the House was elevated like a hillock. Torrents would come down from both sides, but would not submerge it. Later, some people from the tribe of Jurhum passed by Hajar and Isma‘īl. They were coming by the Way of Kadā' and stopped in the low area of Makkah. They saw a bird hovering over a place and concluded that the bird was hovering over water, although they had never seen water in that valley before. They sent one or two messengers to check it out. Those who were sent came back with the news of there being water. So the people went to the place and Isma‘īl’s mother was sitting by the water, so they asked her permission to camp in her area. She allowed them to do so, on condition that they would have no right to the water; meaning that she had full rights to the water and that she could give or withhold it if she wished. They agreed. Isma‘īl’s mother was comfortable with them being there, as she hated staying alone. So the Jurhum sent for their families to come and stay there too. They all lived together and increased in numbers. Isma‘īl grew up and learned Arabic from them and their liking for him grew. When he attained puberty, they married him to a woman from their tribe. Isma‘īl’s mother later died. Ibrahīm came to visit his son after he had married, but did not find him. So he asked his wife where he was and she told him that he had gone out to hunt for them. He asked her about their livelihood and condition, and she told him that they were living in a terrible condition. Finding her complaining and dissatisfied with what Allah was testing them with, Ibrahīm feared that his son would develop the same feelings, so he told him to divorce her by saying to the woman: “When your husband returns, convey my greetings to him and tell him to change the threshold of the door (of his house).” This is a metaphor for divorce, as a woman is to her husband like a threshold to a door. When Isma‘īl came back from hunting, he felt as if something had happened at his home. So he asked his wife if someone had visited them. She told him that a man had been. She described him and said that he asked her about their condition and that she had told him that they were in distress. Isma‘īl asked her if the man had given her any advice. She said that the man had sent him his greetings and asked him to change the threshold of his door. Isma‘īl recognized the man to be his father and realized that he had told him to divorce his wife. So he asked the woman to rejoin her family; meaning that she was divorced. He married another woman from the Jurhum tribe. After a while, Ibrahīm came to visit Isma‘īl but did not find him. His wife said that he had gone out to seek provisions. Another report says that she invited Ibrahīm to come and have some food and water. He asked her about their condition and she said that they were doing well and thanked Allah. He asked her what kind of food they ate and she said meat and the water of Zamzam and rain water was what they drank. So Ibrahīm prayed that Allah would bless their meat and water. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that if they also had grain at that time, Ibrahīm would have invoked divine blessings on it too. Ibn ‘Abbās said that if anyone outside Makkah only eats meat and water, they would suffer from stomachaches and a bad temperament. Then Ibrahīm asked the woman to convey his greetings to Isma‘īl and told him to keep the threshold of his door. When Isma‘īl returned from hunting, he felt as if something had happened. Another narration says that he perceived the scent of his father. He asked his wife what had happened, so she told him, speaking in good terms of an old man and reporting his questions about their livelihood. She also told him that the old man had greeted Isma‘īl and asked him to keep the threshold of his door. Upon this, Isma‘īl said that that man had been his father who had told him to keep his wife. After a while, Ibrahīm came again while Isma‘īl was under a tree close to Zamzam repairing his arrow before attaching the arrowhead to it. When he saw him, he stood up and welcomed him. They did as a son and a father would do; shaking hands and embracing. Ibrahīm told Isma‘īl that Allah had given him an order to build a house on an elevated place; on the hillock. Ibrahīm raised the foundations of the House there and built on them. Isma‘īl brought the stones and Ibrahīm would descend from the Maqām to take the stones from him and climb up to put them where appropriate. When the building was very tall, he brought the Maqām stone. When he reached the corner, he put it in its place, thus making the Maqām connected to the House. While he was building and Isma‘īl was handing him the stones, they were both praying that Allah would accept their building of the House, as Allah heard their prayers and knew their work. The statement that Isma‘īl learned Arabic is strong proof that the Arabic language is an ancient language and that it existed even before Ibrahīm. However, Isma‘īl was the first to have pronounced clear Arabic. A Hadīth says: “The first (person) whose tongue spoke clear Arabic was Isma‘īl when he was a fourteen-year old boy.'' [Ash-Shirāzi; classified as Sahīh by Al-Albāni]

Khālid ibn al-Walīd (may Allah be pleased with him) who was nicknamed "the sword of Allah", was a great Muslim warrior who boldly attended the battles and led the Muslim armies. He descends from one of the noble tribes of Quraysh in the pre-Islamic times. He accepted Islam before the conquest of Makkah. Khālid ibn al-Walīd participated in the battle of Uhud siding with the polytheists of Makkah, then he accepted Islam. This, in fact, shows how perfect the Power of Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is and that all matters are in the Hand of Allah who guides whom He wills and sends astray whom He wills. Khālid (may Allah be pleased with him) tells about the swords broken in his hand during the battle of Mu'tah, which reflects his courage and bravery.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered to kill geckos, saying that they used to blow the fire on Ibrahīm to make it more intense. This implies that geckos are totally hostile towards devout monotheists.

The Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) were attending the funeral of one of them in the cemetery of the people of Madīnah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat among them with a stick in his hand. He lowered his head towards the ground, as if he was thinking deeply and greatly concerned about something. He started to scratch the ground with the stick, then said that Allah, the Almighty, has decreed the fates of people and determined their seats in Paradise and Hell. When the Companions heard that, they said: If the fate of those who will be wretched and those who will be prosperous, those who will be in Paradise and those who will be in Hell, has already been predetermined and decreed, why should we not give up doing good deeds; for exerting effort is useless, given the fact that everything is decreed and predestined? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered that they should work hard and not rely upon the good and evil which Allah has predestined. Instead, they have to do what they are commanded to do, and refrain from what they are forbidden from doing. Indeed, Paradise and Hell are attained by people's deeds; those who do the deeds of the people of Paradise shall enter Paradise, and those who do the deeds of the people of Hell shall enter Hell. Everyone will find it easy to do such deeds that lead him to what he was created for, be it good or evil. Therefore, whoever is decreed to be among the prosperous, Allah will lead him to do the deeds of the prosperous, and whoever is decreed to be among the wretched, Allah will lead him to do the deeds of the wretched.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned that whoever says to another person: You are a defiant sinner, or: You are a disbeliever, if this person is not as he said, then he will be worthy of this mentioned description, and his accusation will rebound on him. However, if this person is as he said, then nothing will rebound on him given that he said the truth.

It is prohibited to accuse people of disbelief or defiant disobedience without a Shariah-approved justification.

Verification is obligatory before making judgments about people.

Ibn Daqīq al-‘Īd said: This is a grave threat to whoever falsely accuses a Muslim of being a disbeliever, which is a great dilemma.

Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalāni said: The fact that he does not consequently become a defiant sinner or a disbeliever does not entail that he is not deemed sinful when he said to him: You are a defiant sinner; rather, this situation needs to be tackled in detail. If he meant to advise him or others by clarifying his condition, then this is permissible. However, if he meant to insult, expose, and abuse him, then this is impermissible because he is commanded to conceal his faults and teach him and advise him in a friendly manner. So, whenever he can fulfill this in a lenient manner, then he is not allowed to do it violently because he could be a cause for tempting him and making him insist on such an act, given the fact that many people are too disdainful to accept the command, especially when the one who gives the command is inferior to the one commanded.

Whoever tries to incite a women against her husband, whether the inciter is a male or a female, by mentioning her husband's demerits and bad manners in her presence so as to make her hate him and rebel against him and try to free herself from him either by divorce or separation, or if someone incites a slave against his master and does things with him that make him rebel against his master and treat him in a bad manner, is not following our guidance or our methodology; rather this is from the work of the devil.

Abu Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) was beating his slave boy with a whip. He heard a voice from behind rebuking him but he could not identify the speaker. When the speaker came near to him, he recognized that it was the voice of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reminding him of the power of Allah, the Almighty, by saying: "Bear in mind, Abu Mas‘ūd, that Allah has more power over you than you have over this boy." So when he heard what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said and his warning against abusing the weak, the whip fell from his hand in awe of the Messenger of Allah, and he promised him that he would never abuse any slave after that. Also, after he heard the Prophet's rebuke and warning, he immediately set the slave free to expiate for beating him. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If you had not freed him, the fire would have afflicted you on the Day of Resurrection because of the evilness of your deed."

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated with expulsion and dismissal from Allah's mercy for any man who imitates women in their peculiar clothing, whether in appearance, color, style, manner of dressing, adornment, or anything else. Or for a woman to imitate men in their peculiar clothing as well, and this is considered a major sin.

Ash-Shawkāni said: The prohibition of women imitating men and men imitating women because there is no curse except for prohibited acts.

Ibn ‘Uthaymīn said: What is common between them, like certain shirts worn by both men and women, is permissible, i.e., it is fine for both men and women to wear it, as it is common.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told the Companions that the Jews and Christians do not dye their hair or beards; rather, they leave grey hair as it is. So he ordered them to do the opposite of what the Jews and Christians do by dying their hair and beards.

Meaning of the Hadīth: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave the family of Ja‘far ibn Abu Tālib three days as respite after his martyrdom in the battle of Mu'tah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted his family to feel better during these three days and get over some of the sadness and grief they were experiencing. He then said to them: “Do not weep for my brother after this day”. He forbade them from crying after three days had passed, so that the first shock and the sad times would not remain for long. The prohibition here is not a strict one, because it is permissible to weep for the dead even beyond the three days as long as weeping does not involve any forbidden act. He then said: “Call my brother’s sons for me.” They were Muhammad, ‘Abdullāh, and ‘Awf - children of Ja‘far. ‘Abdullāh said: "We were then brought to the Messenger of Allah as if we were little chicks" referring to the miserable state they were in due to their father’s death. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) asked for a barber and ordered him to shave their heads. The reason why the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) ordered for their heads to be shaved was that he saw their mother, Asmā' bint ‘Umays (may Allah be pleased with her) so overwhelmed by the calamity of having her husband killed in the cause of Allah, and thus she could not brush her children's hair. He feared that their heads would become dirty or infested with lice, so he ordered for their heads to be shaved. Removing the hair was good for the children and was a source of comfort for the mother who was afflicted with something that made her too busy to take care of her sons' hair. It should be noted that it is not permissible for the Muslim to shave one’s head due to the affliction of a calamity. It was reported in a Hadīth: "The Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the woman who wails, shaves her head, or tears up her clothes (when stricken by a calamity)." Heads of Ja‘far's sons were not shaved due to their father's death; rather, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did so because their mother was too busy to take care of their hair. Fearing that their heads would be louse-infested, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered their heads to be shaved. So, it had nothing to do with the calamity.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about those who speak about unseen and future things, and he said: Pay no attention to them and do not believe them. They said: Their statements sometimes conform with reality - they say that something will occur in such and such month on such and such day, it actually happens as they stated. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: The jinn snatch what they hear from the heavenly information, descend upon their allies from among the diviners, and convey what they heard to them. Then, the diviners add a hundred lies to this piece of information that reached them from heaven.

It is prohibited to believe soothsayers. What they say is lies and fabrications, even if it happens to be true sometimes.

The heaven was preserved from the devils with the start of the Prophet's mission, lest they may hear something of the revelation or other information, except those who eavesdrop and manage to flee the shooting stars.

Jinns take allies from among human beings.

An-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that ‘Abdullāh ibn Rawāhah (may Allah be pleased with him) fell down unconscious because he was too sick. When his sister, (may Allah be pleased with her) saw him in that state, she thought that he had died. Therefore, she started crying and said: "O my mountain!" By this she meant that for her he was like a mountain in which she sought refuge from adversities. She counted his good qualities the way people used to do in the pre-Islamic era. When he came to his senses, he told her what had happened to him. It was said to him, "Are you a mountain that people seek refuge in? Are you the same as they describe you?" Everything that his sister mentioned during his fit, he was questioned about it out of sarcasm and severe threat. In another narration, it was mentioned that when Ibn Rawāhah died, his sister had learnt the lesson and, therefore, did not mourn him that way.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) never took anything as a bad omen. Islam has prohibited pessimism, the kind that prevents one from doing what he intended to do as practiced in the pre-Islamic era, taking evil omens, and divination by arrows. It offered the substitute represented in the Istikhārah prayer.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to take a vow from the female companions when giving him the pledge of allegiance, that they should not disobey him. He forbade them, for instance, from scratching their faces or slapping their cheeks; from wailing which is prohibited; from tearing their clothes; and from disheveling and tearing up their hair. All these acts are forbidden to be done when calamities occur.

Those who make images in the form of sculptures, paintings, or photographs, for human beings or animals will be tortured on the Day of Resurrection for their action. This applies to the images which are treated with respect or disrespect because image-making implies emulating the creation of Allah, the Almighty. The makers of images will be asked to create souls into the images as they created their structures, based on the fact that since they emulated Allah’s creation in form, then they should give them life. They shall be asked to do so as a sort of mocking and censuring their action. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Anyone makes an image in this world will be ordered to breathe life into it on the Day of Resurrection, and he will not be able to breathe it.” [Al-Bukhāri and Muslim] Another reporion reads: “Anyone makes an image, Allah will torture him until he breathes life into it.” [Al-Bukhāri] Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “Scholars stated that making images of animate beings is extremely prohibited and is a major sin, because it is subject to the severe threat mentioned in these Hadīths. Whether or not the images are made in a way to be treated with disrespect, image making is prohibited in all cases, because it involves imitating the creation of Allah, the Almighty.”

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the angels of mercy do not enter a house wherein is a dog or an image of animate beings. This is because images of animate beings constitute a grave sin, imitation of Allah's creation, a means leading to Shirk. And some of them depict things worshipped apart from Allah. As for why they do not exist in a house that has a dog, it is because it eats a lot of impure things and some dogs are called devils, and angels are against the devils. It is also because of the bad smell of dogs; angels dislike bad smells. Another reason is that it is prohibited to acquire dogs, and so he who does that is punished by being deprived of the angels of mercy entering his house, praying in it, seeking Allah's forgiveness for him, blessing him and his house, and averting the harm of the devil from him.

It is prohibited to acquire a dog, except for a hunting dog, a shepherd dog, or a farming dog.

Keeping images is an evil practice that causes the angels to leave the place, and their presence is a reason for deprivation of mercy, which also applies to keeping a dog.

The angels who do not enter a house with a dog or an image are the angels of mercy. As for the keepers and others who are assigned certain tasks, like the angel of death, they can still enter any house.

It is prohibited to hang images of animate beings on the walls and other places.

Al-Khattābi said: Angels do not enter a house with a dog or an image of the forbidden type. As for hunting, farming, or shepherd dogs and the trodden images such as in carpets, pillows, and other things; they are not forbidden, so the angels do not refrain from entering a house because of them.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that angels do not accompany a group of people on a journey if they have with them a dog or a bell hung on animals and makes a sound when moving.

It is prohibited to keep or accompany a dog except a dog kept for hunting or guarding.

Angels who refrain from such a company are the angels of mercy, however, the protecting angels never leave the slaves in residence or travel.

The bell is prohibited because it is one of the devil's musical instruments and it resembles the Christians' bell.

A Muslim must be keen on avoiding whatever keeps the angels far away from him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbids us from swearing by Tawāghi, the plural of Tāghiyah, and these are the idols that the polytheists used to worship apart from Allah and they were the cause of their wrongdoing and Kufr (disbelief). He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) also forbids us from swearing by our fathers. It was a common practice among the Arabs in Jāhiliyyah to swear by their fathers out of pride and exaltation.

It is only permissible to swear by Allah and His names and attributes.

It is prohibited to swear by false deities, fathers, leaders, and idols, as well as all invalid things.

Swearing by other than Allah is a form of minor Shirk, and it may be a major Shirk if he has in his heart a sense of reverence for the thing sworn by and that he reveres it as he reveres Allah, or that he believes it to be part of worship.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade and warned against swearing by the Amānah and that whoever does this is not one of us.

It is prohibited to swear by other than Allah Almighty, and this includes swearing by the Amānah, as this constitutes an act of minor Shirk (polytheism).

Amānah includes obedience, worship, trust, money, and security.

The oath is not effective or binding unless sworn by Allah Almighty or by one of His names or attributes.

Al-Khattābi said: The undesirability here is likely based on his command that one should swear by Allah and by His attributes, whereas the Amānah is not from His attributes; rather, it is one of His commands and one of the things that He has made obligatory. Therefore, they are prohibited from this because it implies equality between the Amānah and the names and attributes of Allah Almighty.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting with a group of his Companions, including Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. Then he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and delayed returning. They feared that he might have encountered harm from an enemy, either by capturing or some other misfortune. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) stood up terrified, and the first to act was Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). He went to a garden belonging to Banu An-Najjār and started looking around, hoping to find an open gate, but he found none. However, he found a small opening in the wall through which water flowed. He squeezed his body through the opening and entered, where he found the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who said to him: Are you Abu Hurayrah? He said: Yes. He said: What is the matter with you? Abu Hurayrah said: You were among us, then you left and delayed returning, so we feared that you would be taken away from us. We became terrified, and I was the first to act. I came to this orchard and crouched down just as a fox crouches, and those people are behind me. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave him his sandals as a sign and proof of his truthfulness and said to him: Take these two sandals of mine and go. Whoever you meet beyond this orchard who bears witness that there is no god but Allah and that no deity is truly worthy of worship except Allah, with full certainty in his heart—whoever has these qualities is among the people of Paradise. The first person he met was ‘Umar, who asked him: What are these two sandals, O Abu Hurayrah? He replied: These are the sandals of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He sent me with them to give the glad tidings of Paradise to anyone I meet who bears witness that there is no god but Allah, with full certainty in his heart. ‘Umar struck Abu Hurayrah on his chest, causing him to fall on his back, and he said: Go back, O Abu Hurayrah. So, I returned to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), alarmed, with my face changed and on the verge of weeping. ‘Umar followed behind me, walking after me. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: What is the matter, O Abu Hurayrah? I said: I met ‘Umar and told him about what you sent me with, so he struck me such a strike that caused me to fall on my back and said: Go back. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: O ‘Umar, what caused you to do that? ‘Umar said: O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you! Did you send Abu Hurayrah with your sandals to give glad tidings of Paradise to anyone who bears witness that there is no god but Allah, with full certainty in his heart? He said: Yes. He said: Then do not do that, for I fear that people may rely only on saying this without acting upon it. Let them continue to work. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then let them.

The genuine love the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and their keenness to protect him against any harm.

The permissibility of giving glad tidings with good news.

Faith consists of words, deeds, and beliefs.

Al-Qādi ‘Iyād and others said: The action of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and his arguing with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) were not acts of objection or rejection of his command. There was nothing in the Prophet’s instruction to Abu Hurayrah except to bring comfort to the hearts of the Ummah and give them glad tidings. However, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) believed that concealing this news was better for them and more likely to prevent them from relying solely on it. He thought this approach would ultimately bring greater benefit to them than the immediate glad tidings. When ‘Umar presented his reasoning to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he approved of it.

An-Nawawi said: This Hadīth indicates that if a leader or an elder sees something and one of his followers disagrees with him, the follower should present his view to the leader for consideration. If it becomes clear that the follower's opinion is correct, the leader should accept it. Otherwise, the leader should explain to the follower the reason behind his position and address any doubts the follower may have.

The permissibility of withholding the dissemination of certain knowledge that is not necessary, for the sake of public interest or to avoid harm.

The great glad tidings for the people of Tawhid (monotheism); that whoever dies while bearing witness that there is no god but Allah, with sincere belief in his heart, will enter Paradise.

The strength of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), his wisdom, and his vast understanding.

An-Nawawi said: This Hadīth indicates the permissibility of a person entering another's property without his permission if he knows that the owner would approve of it due to affection between them or other reasons.

Some captives from the tribe of Hawāzin were brought to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Among them was a woman searching for her child. Whenever she found a child, she would take him and breastfeed him due to the pain from milk accumulating in her breast. Eventually, she found her own son among the captives, so she took him, stuck him to her chest, and breastfed him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then said to his Companions: Do you think this woman would throw her child into the fire? We said: No, she would never do this willingly. He said: Indeed, Allah is more merciful to His Muslim servants than this woman to her child.

Allah's vast mercy towards His servants, and that He wants for them goodness, Paradise, and salvation from Hellfire.

Benefiting from events and linking them to guidance and teaching.

A believer should have good expectations of Allah and not despair, as long as he fears Allah and remains steadfast in his religion, for Allah Almighty is the Possessor of vast mercy.

Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) was riding on a mount behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who called him: O Mu‘ādh! He repeated the call three times to show the significance of what he was about to say. Meanwhile, Mu‘ādh was replying: "Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah." That's I am answering your call, O Messenger of Allah, and seek happiness in answering you. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that if anyone bears witness that there is no god but Allah - which means that none is truly worthy of worship except Allah - and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, sincerely from his heart, not lying, and then he dies in this state, Allah will make him forbidden to Hellfire. Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) whether he could tell people about that so that they would rejoice and feel hopeful. But the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) feared that they might solely rely upon that and their good deeds might decrease. So, Mu‘ādh did not narrate this Hadīth to anyone, except at the time of his death, fearing that he would incur the sin of concealing knowledge.

The Hadīth highlights the Prophet's humility, as he made Mu‘ādh ride behind him on his mount.

It shows the Prophet's approach of teaching, as he repeated the call to Mu‘ādh to draw his attention to what he was going to say.

Among the conditions of the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, is to say it with sincerity and certitude, without lying or doubt.

The people of monotheistic belief will not abide in Hellfire eternally. If they enter it on account of their sins, they will be brought out of it after they are purified.

The Hadīth shows the merit of the two testimonies if one says them with sincerity.

It is permissible to refrain from narrating a certain Hadīth under some circumstances when its narration leads to some evil.

As a man was walking along the road on a journey, he became thirsty. So, he went down into a well and drank from it and quenched his thirst. When he came out of it, there was a dog eating mud (trying) to suck any water from it due to its extreme thirst. So the man said: "By Allah, this dog is just as thirsty as I was." Then he went down into the well and filled his shoe with water, holding it with his mouth to get out of the well with it, then gave the dog water to drink. Allah accepted this deed from him, forgave him, and admitted him into Paradise because of it. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said this Hadīth to the Companions, they asked: "O Messenger of Allah, do we get a reward for looking after animals?" i.e. Do we get reward for giving animals water to drink? He replied that there is a reward for quenching thirst of every creature with a moist liver, since the moist liver needs water, and without water it will dry up and the animal will die. Another narration states that a prostitute from Children of Israel saw a thirsty dog moving around a well, unable to reach the water. So she took off her shoe and filled it with water and gave the dog water to drink. So Allah forgave her because of that deed.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that a true and perfect Muslim is the one from whose tongue Muslims are safe, so he does not insult, curse, or backbite them and does not hurt them with his tongue in any way. They are also safe from his hand, as he does not assault them or take their properties wrongfully, or the like. As for the emigrant, he is the one who abandons what Allah Almighty has prohibited.

One's Islam is perfect only when he does not harm others physically or morally.

The tongue and the hand were mentioned in particular given their frequent mistakes and harms, as they are the source of most of the evil.

Encouraging the abandonment of sins and adherence to the commands of Allah Almighty.

The best Muslims are those who fulfill the rights of Allah Almighty and the rights of the Muslims.

Assault could be verbal or physical.

The perfect emigration is abandoning what Allah Almighty has forbidden.

If a disbeliever does an act of obedience, then Allah, the Almighty, will provide him with sustenance in this world in return for it. As for the believer, if he does an act of obedience, then Allah will save the reward to give it to him in the Hereafter as well as reward him for his obedience in this world. Allah never misses rewarding the believer for his good deeds; He gives him reward in this world as well as the next. As to the disbeliever, he is only rewarded in this world for his good deeds, and when the Day of Judgment comes, he will have no good deeds to be rewarded for. Scholars have agreed that if the disbeliever dies upon disbelief, then he will have no reward in the Hereafter, and he will not be rewarded for any of his good deeds performed in this world. This Hadīth clearly mentioned that the disbeliever will be fed and rewarded in this world for what he did of good deeds which do not require a sound intention to be accepted, such as maintaining ties of kinship, charity, freeing a slave, hosting guests, and similar deeds. However, if the disbeliever does such good deeds then enters Islam, then he will be rewarded for them in the Hereafter, as indicated in the Hadīth: "You embraced Islam with all the previous good deeds you had performed.”

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the muezzins, who call to prayer, will have the longest necks on the Day of Judgment due to the honor of their work, their abundant goodness, and the greatness of their reward.

The merit of the Adhān (call to prayer) and encouraging its performance.

Highlighting the honor of the muezzins and their high status on the Day of Judgment.

Jibrīl presented two cups to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the Night of Isrā' and Mi’rāj refers to his night journey to the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and his ascent to heaven, one filled with wine and the other with milk. “He looked at them,” meaning: as if he was asked to choose between them. “He took the milk,” meaning: he received inspiration to choose the milk. Jibrīl said: “Praise be to Allah, Who guided you to the Fitrah,” meaning: you chose the sign of Islam and uprightness. Milk was made a sign of that because it is pleasant, pure, palatable, and of no evil consequences. (And then he said:) “Had you taken the wine, your nation would have gone astray."

This Hadīth demonstrates the bounty and extensive mercy of Allah, the Exalted. It also informs us of the great status of the people of Paradise, as the lowest in rank therein will enjoy multiple times more what any king of this world possesses.

When Allah created Adam, He wiped his back and all his human offspring that Allah would create until the Day of Judgment came out of his back. This wiping and coming out should be understood literally, and it is not permissible to interpret it beyond the apparent meaning, as this is the methodology of Ahl As-Sunnah. When Allah took them out of his back, He placed a glimmering light between each person's eyes, then he showed them to Adam. Adam said: "O my Lord, who are these?" Allah, the Almighty, said: "They are your offspring." He saw a man among them whose light between his eyes amazed him, so he said: "O my Lord, who is this?" Allah, the Almighty, said: "He is Dawūd." Adam said: "My Lord, how long would he live?" He said: "Sixty years." Adam said: "My Lord, add forty years from my lifespan to his." When Adam had lived all his lifespan minus forty years, the angel of death came to him to take his soul. Adam said: "There are forty years remaining in my life." He said to him: "You gave them to your son Dawūd." Adam denied it because that was in the unknown world of progenies, and he did not remember it upon arrival of the angel of death. As a result, his offspring also denied. Likewise, Adam forgot, so his offspring forget; Adam disobeyed, so his offspring disobey, because the child resembles his father. Dawūd's lifespan was forty years and Allah made it sixty. Allah, may He be glorified, is All-Knowing of what happened, what will happen, and what did not happen if it happened how it would be. He knows what He wrote for him and what increase He would grant him later. The angels have no knowledge except what Allah informs them. Allah knows things before they happen and after they happen. For this reason, scholars said that erasing and affirming occur in the sheets of the angels; but knowledge of Allah, Glorified and Exalted, never changes, nor does He become aware of anything He does not know before. Therefore, there is no erasing or affirmation in His knowledge.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) gave a sermon to his Companions wherein he informed them that Allah ordered him to impart to them the knowledge that Allah had imparted to Him that day. Allah said that all the wealth that He gives to His servants is lawful for them. This is a response to those who made unlawful for themselves certain types of cattle, clarifying that it did not become unlawful for them by their making it unlawful. Therefore, every property that a person possesses in this world is lawful for him, unless some external right is attached to it or there is evidence that excludes it from the general permissibility. Allah then said that He has created His slaves predisposed to be Muslims, submitting to Allah alone, or pure from all sin, or on the straight path with a readiness to receive guidance – these are three interpretations for this segment of the Hadīth. One further interpretation is that it refers to the oath that Allah took from people in the world of Dharr (particles), before they were born into this world, when he asked them: "Am I not your Lord?" They said: "Indeed you are." He then said: Then the devils came to them, bluffed them, caused them to deviate from the path that they were on, and directed them toward falsehood. They also deluded them by making what was lawful for them unlawful, and ordered them to associate with Allah in worship that which Allah did not order to be worshiped and sent no evidence that would suggest that they deserve to be worshiped. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then said that Allah looked at the people of the earth before the Messenger was sent and he saw them all united upon polytheism and disbelief. He hated them for this, except for some remnants of the People of the Book, those who were still holding on to their religion and had not altered it. Most of the People of the Book, however, had distorted the religion revealed to them by Allah. Allah said: "I sent you to the people to test you," meaning to see how you would carry out the tasks I assigned to you of delivering the message, fighting in the cause of Allah, and being patient for His sake. I also tested others through you by observing how they react to your message and whether or not they will believe in you. Some will reveal their faith and obey you, others will turn away from you and show enmity to you, and others will be hypocrites and will pretend to have believed while they have not. Allah already knows how everyone will react before they actually do, but He tests them so that their actions would become a clear reality. Indeed, Allah punishes His slaves based on the actions they commit, not on His prior knowledge of their actions before they actually commit them. Then Allah said that He sent down the Qur'an, and that it is preserved within the chests and not liable to elimination; rather, it will survive throughout the ages. Allah said that it could be recited during wakefulness and sleep, meaning that it is preserved for you in both wakefulness and sleep, or that it could be easily recited, according to another interpretation. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then said: Allah ordered me to burn down the (tribe of) Quraysh; i.e. to kill the disbelievers of Quraysh, so I said: 'O my Lord, they would break my head just as they would break bread.' Allah said to this: Expel the Quraysh from their lands just as they did to you, though there is a big difference between the two, as the Quraysh expelled him based on falsehood while he would expel them based on truth. Allah said: Fight them and we will assist you, spend in the path of Allah and we will compensate you for it in this life and in the afterlife, and if you send an army to fight the non-Muslims, we will send angels five times its number to assist the Muslims, just as He did in Badr. He then ordered him to fight those who disobey him of the disbelievers with the help of those who do obey him of the Muslims. He then said: The people of Paradise are three: the man who possesses authority and power, yet he is fair to people, non-oppressive, and charitable towards them. He is guided to doing good and the doors of benevolence are opened before him. The second is the man who is merciful to the young and old, who has a tender heart towards his kin in particular and all Muslims in general. The third is the man who has dependents and he avoids unlawful gains and refrains from asking people for assistance because he relies upon Allah regarding his sustenance and that of his dependents. His love for his dependents and his fear concerning lack of sustenance for them do not drive him to beg people and stop relying on Allah, or to seek unlawful gains, or to become too preoccupied with them to do what is required of him of seeking (religious) knowledge and fulfilling (religious) obligations. The people of Hellfire are five: the weak who lacks the intelligence that deters him from doing what is inappropriate, who is subordinate to you and does not seek to have a wife or wealth through lawful means. Such people refrain from what is lawful and commit what is unlawful. The second is the betrayer who covets every covetable thing, even if it is almost unnoticeable; he traces it and examines it until he finds it and betrays you trust regarding it. This is a hyperbolic description of betrayal. The third is the deceiver, and the fourth is the liar or the miser, and the fifth is he who uses obscene language and is ill-mannered.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate Allah saying: "My Lord, support me", i.e. guide me to remember You, thank You, and perfect my worship of You. "And do not support someone against me", i.e. do not empower someone who will prevent me from Your obedience, from the devils -mankind or the Jinn- over me. "Grant me victory and do not grant others victory over me", i.e. grant me victory over the disbelievers, and do not grant them victory over me; or grant me victory over my inner self, as it is my worst enemy, and do not grant victory to my inner self that incites evilness against me, such that I follow my desires and turn away from the guidance. "Plan for me and do not plan against me", i.e. plot against my enemies who are plotting, and bring them down from where they do not imagine, and do not do that to me. Plotting is from the attributes that describe Allah's actions, however He is not described with it in an absolute sense, rather, He is described with it as a form of praise, for example when He plots against the disbelievers and those who plot against the believers and so on. It is not correct to negate the attribute of plotting from Allah, the Exalted, because He affirmed it for Himself. Therefore, we affirm it for Him in a manner that befits His majesty. "And guide me and make my guidance easy for me", i.e. lead me to all goodness and facilitate for me following guidance or the ways that lead to it, so that obedience is not hard for me and I do not become distracted from worship. "And grant me victory against whoever wronged me", i.e. support me against the one who oppresses me and transgresses against me. "O Allah, make me grateful to You", i.e. for Your blessings; "remembering You", in all times; "fearful of You", i.e. afraid in good times and hard times; "obedient to You", i.e. persistent obedience; "and humble to You", i.e. submissive and modest; "returning to You in repentance", i.e. as repentance is returning to obedience after disobedience. "O Lord, accept my repentance", i.e. make it sound with its conditions and manners so that it will be accepted. "Wash away my sins", i.e. erase my sins. "Answer my supplication", i.e. my invocations. "Establish my proof", i.e. against your enemies in this world, or make my words and my belief firm in this world and while answering the two angels (in the grave). "Guide my heart, make my tongue speak the truth", i.e. correct and straighten up my tongue so that it only utters the truth. "And take resentment away from my heart", i.e. take out of my heart the cheating, resentment, jealousy, envy and those kinds of evil morals that emanate from the heart and inhabit it.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that Allah Almighty descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains and encourages His servants to supplicate Him, for He responds to those who supplicate Him, and He urges them to ask Him for whatever they want, for He gives those who ask Him, and He recommends them to seek His forgiveness for their sins, for He forgives His believing servants.

The Hadīth shows the merit of the last third of the night and the prayer, supplication, and pursuit of Allah's forgiveness during that time.

Upon hearing this Hadīth, one should be very careful to seize the times in which supplication is likely to be answered.

Some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Will we see our Lord on the Day of Judgment?" He said: "Do you find any difficulty in seeing the sun at noon when there are no clouds?" In other words: do you crowd with each other to the extent that you might harm one another in order to see the sun when it is high in the horizon and spreading its light all over the world, with no clouds screening it from you? They answered in the negative. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) again asked: "Do you have any difficulty in seeing the full moon when there are no clouds?" That is: do you crowd or struggle with one another in a way that might cause you harm in your attempt to see a full moon that is clearly seen in the sky without any cloud screening it? They said: 'No.' The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "By Allah, in Whose Hand my life is, You will not face any difficulty in seeing your Lord, only as much as you find difficulty in seeing one of them (the sun and moon)." This means that they will see their Lord so clearly and evidently that it involves no argument or doubt; that none would disagree or belie the other, just as no one argues over seeing the sun or the moon. The similitude made here applies to the unquestionable clarity of sighting Allah, not to the manner in which it takes place or the nature of the One Whom is seen. Indeed, He, the Exalted, is far above being likened to creatures. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed about one of the events of the Day of Judgment. That is, one of Allah's servant will stand before Him, the Exalted, and He will remind him of the favors that He bestowed upon him, one after the other: like favoring him; making him a chief among his people; granting him a wife from his own kind and allowing him to enjoy her; fostering love, compassion, affection, and intimacy between the both of them; subjugating horses and camels to him; and making him the chief of his people, who is entitled to a quarter of the war booty, while in the pre-Islamic time, kings would take the whole booty to themselves. The servant will affirm all of these favors. The Lord will ask him: "Did not you know that you were going to meet Me?" The servant will say: "No," and Allah will say: "So I will forget you as you had forgotten Me." In other words, Allah will exclude him from His mercy just as he abandoned His obedience during his life. The word 'forget' here means to leave something knowingly and deliberately. This is explained by Allah's saying: {Indeed, We have [accordingly] forgotten you. And taste the punishment of eternity} [Sūrat al-Ahqāf: 14]. Once again, Allah will meet another servant, and a similar conversation will take place. Furthermore, Allah will meet a third servant, who will say to Him: "I affirmed my faith in You, Your Book, and in Your Messenger, and I observed the prayer and fasted and gave charity, and he will praise himself as much as he can. Thereupon, Allah, the Almighty, will say to Him: "Hence, (as you have praised yourself in such a way) remain in your place so that we bring our witnesses to your deeds." The servant will think of who that witness would be. Thereafter, Allah will make a seal on his mouth, and his thighs, flesh, and bones will be ordered to speak. They will tell all about his deeds, which will render his excuses unacceptable, due to his numerous sins and the testimony of his own limbs against himself. This third servant is the hypocrite, whom Allah is angry with.

As the adjective Yamān / Yamāniyyah could refer to Yamīn which means the right side or to Yemen as a country. Scholars held different opinions on the meaning of the statement: "Faith is Yamān and wisdom is Yamāniyyah." Some said that the statement ascribes faith to Makkah, because the beginning of Yamīn is from there, and Makkah is Yamāniyyah compared with Madīnah. Some said that this statement ascribes faith to both Makkah and Madīnah because both are to the right side compared with the Levant. This is based upon the fact that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned this statement while he was in Tabūk. It was also mentioned that this describes the Ansār, because they were originally from Yemen, and faith was ascribed to them because they were the basis of support for Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). However, there is nothing wrong with interpreting the Hadīth based on its apparent meaning, which will mean that the people of Yemen are better than other people from the East. The reason for that is their submission to faith without costing Muslims much hardship, compared with people of the East and others. If someone has a specific quality, and is strong in implementing it, then this quality can be ascribed to him as a sign of his perfection in it. However, this does not mean negation of faith from others. In addition, this refers only to those who were present amongst them at that time, and not to all the people of Yemen at all times, because the wording used does not indicate this. "Wisdom" here means knowledge that comprises awareness of Allah, the Exalted. "I find the breath of the Most Merciful from the direction of Yemen", i.e. he was in distress, hardship, and grief from the people of Makkah, but Allah granted him relief through the Ansār. This means that he received relief from the Ansār, who were originally from Yemen. Hence, this Hadīth cannot be considered one of the Hadīths that refer to Allah's attributes (as the word breath is not one of Allah's attributes). "Indeed disbelief, wrongdoing, and harsh hearts are found amongst those with loud obnoxious voices who raise goats and camels," i.e. disbelief, wrongdoing, and cruelty of the heart are rampant amongst those who have too much wealth and camels and raise their voices while farming or with their animals, and therefore they are usually proudly arrogant and ungrateful.

This Hadīth clarifies that Allah, the Almighty, created the creation in darkness and cast some of His light upon them. Those whom the light fell upon are the ones guided to the way to Paradise, and those whom the light missed are the ones who strayed from the way of truth. Guidance and misguidance are in total agreement with Allah's prior knowledge. That which has been decided eternally cannot change or be altered, and the expression about the drying of the ink of the pen indicates this fact.

Allah, the Almighty, has ninety-nine names, and no one memorizes them except that they will enter Paradise. To memorize them means to know them by heart. It is also said to mean believing in them, acting upon them, and showing obedience according to each name of them. This Hadīth establishes those names, yet it does not negate other, additional names. Rather, these names were specifically included because they are the most known and the clearest in meaning. This is similar to someone saying: “Zayd has one hundred dirhams which he has allocated for charity.” This does not mean that he has no other dirhams; rather, it denotes the amount of money that he has devoted to this purpose. This explanation is supported by a Hadīth which was reported by Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) and in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I ask You by every Name belonging to You which You have named Yourself with, revealed in Your Book, taught to any of Your creation, or preserved in the knowledge of the Unseen with You.” This Hadīth points out that Allah, the Almighty, has names that He did not reveal in His book and kept concealed from His creation. "He is One", meaning: Allah is One and has no partner. "And He loves odd numbers", meaning: He prefers odd numbers in many good deeds and acts of worship. For example, the obligatory prayers are five, the circumambulation of the Ka‘bah consists of seven rounds, the heavens are seven, the earths are seven, and many acts ought to be done three times.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw Jibrīl in the highest part of Paradise, and he had six hundred wings. The narrator asked ‘Āsim ibn Abu Bahdalah about the appearance of these wings, but he did not inform him, so some of his companions informed him that owing to their huge size, each wing filled the distance between the east and west. This is also mentioned in other authentic Hadīths: "Due to the enormity of his creation, he filled what is between the east and the west.”

In the context of interpreting the verse: {And he certainly saw him in another descent} [Sūrat An-Najm:13], Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explained that he saw Jibrīl (peace be upon him) in the upper part of Paradise at the Lote Tree in his original shape in which Allah, the Almighty, created him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw Jibrīl (peace be upon him) having six hundred wings, with multi-colored pearls and rubies falling from the feathers of his wings.

The venerated Tābi‘i Masrūq was reclining in the house of the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). She told him: "There are three things, and the one who speaks of one of them has fabricated a tremendous lie against Allah." He asked her: "What are they?" She answered: 1. Whoever claims that Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw his Lord has fabricated a tremendous lie. Masrūq was reclining, but then he sat upright an wondered: "How can you say that while Allah, the Exalted, said: {And truly he saw him on the clear horizon} [Sūrat At-Takwīr: 23] and: {He saw Him in another descent...} [Sūrat An-Najm: 13]?" She told him that she was the first ever to ask the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) specifically about these two verses. he told her that it was Jibrīl (peace be upon him) whom he saw and that he has not seen him in his original form upon which Allah, the Exalted, created him except in those two instants; once on earth towards the direction of the sunrise, where everything appears in its most vivid form, and once in Paradise. He saw him descending from the heavens, filling the space between the heaven and the earth with his magnificent body. Then she cited two Qur’anic verses proving that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has not seen his Lord. Allah says: {Eyes comprehend Him not, but He comprehends (all) vision, and He is Subtle and All-Aware.} [Sūrat al-An‘ām: 103]? And His saying: {And it is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a partition or that He sends a messenger to reveal, by His permission, what He wills. Indeed, He is Most High and Wise.} [Sūrat Ash-Shūra: 51] 2. Whoever claims that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) concealed anything from the Book of Allah has fabricated a tremendous lie against Allah. Allah said: {O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message.} [Sūrat al-Mā’idah: 67] 3. Whoever claims that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) could foretell the future on his own without revelation from Allah, the Exalted, has fabricated a tremendous lie against Allah. Allah says: {Say: None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah.} [Sūrat An-Naml: 65]

This Hadīth mentions that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was taken up by night to heaven, he passed by Jibrīl when he was with the favored angels. He found Jibrīl like a worn-out garment due to his fear of Allah, Glorified and Exalted. This proves Jibrīl's excellent knowledge of Allah, the Almighty, for the more one knows Allah, the more he fears Him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us in this Hadīth that he cannot enjoy happiness and bliss in this world while the Last Day is approaching fast and the angel in charge of the Trumpet, Isrāfīl, has placed it right before his mouth and leaned his head, waiting for the command to blow it. When the Trumpet is blown, all those in the heavens and on earth will fall dead and the Day of Judgment will start. Apparently concerned about the imminence of this Day, the Companions(may Allah be pleased with him) asked: "So, what should we say, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied: "Say: Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best Disposer of affairs. We relied upon Allah, our Lord."

In this Hadīth reported by Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explained that Allah, the Almighty, allowed him to inform his Ummah (community) of the description of one of the great angels of the angels of Allah, the Exalted; one of those who carry the greatest creation, the Throne of the Most Merciful. It would take a fast horse seven hundred years to cover the distance from the angel's earlobe to the bottom of his neck.

‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was lying in her house, and his thighs or shins were uncovered. As Abu Bakr asked for permission to enter, he allowed him in, and his thighs or shins were still uncovered. Abu Bakr conversed with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then ‘Umar asked for permission to enter, so the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) allowed him in, without changing his position. He talked to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then ‘Uthmān asked for permission to enter, so the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, arranged his clothes, and covered his thighs or shins. Then he allowed him in. When ‘Uthmān left, ‘Ā'ishah remarked that when Abu Bakr entered, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not mind, and so did he when ‘Umar got in. However, when ‘Uthmān entered, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, straightened his clothes, and covered his thighs or shins. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: ''Should I not feel shy of a man whom the angels feel shy of?'' Now, this Hadīth cannot be taken as a proof that the thighs are not ‘Awrah, for there is uncertainty in the Hadīth about the parts of the body that were uncovered: the thighs or shins. So, it cannot be said with certainty that it is permissible to uncover the thighs. Also, the Hadīths where the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was reported to have uncovered his thighs indicate a practice rather than a saying of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). These Hadīths were reported by young Companions. There are other Hadīths reported by senior Companions, however, in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stated that the thighs are ‘Awrah. So precaution entails that these Hadīths are to be complied with. The rule is that a statement outweighs a practice. Also, the practice is subject to possible interpretations. Another reason is that the uncovering, as the Hadīth indicates, was done in the presence of one's close relatives, so, it does not apply to everywhere. As per the Fatwa of the Permanent Committee, thighs are ‘Awrah.

The Muslims initially emerged victorious from the battle of Uhud, but the archers disobeyed the Prophet's command and eventually the Muslims were defeated. Some of the Muslims fled the battlefield, until they reached some villages close to a mountain near Madīnah. They then returned to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). During the battle, Hanzhalah ibn ‘Āmir fought against Abu Sufyān ibn Harb, the leader of the polytheists. When Hanzhalah was about to kill him, a polytheist called Shaddād ibn al-Aswad saw Hanzhalah and killed him with his sword. When the battle was over, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told the Muslims that the angels were washing Hanzhalah. He asked them to ask his wife about his condition before he set out for the battle. They asked her, and she told them that when Hanzhalah heard the call for Jihad he set out in a state of ritual impurity. So the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told them that the angels had washed Hanzhalah because he was martyred in a state of ritual impurity.

When Adam (peace be upon him) died, the angels washed his body with water an odd number of times, which could be one, three, or five times, and dug a hole in the side of the grave and buried him therein. Then they said: "This is the tradition for Adam's children." In other words, the children of Adam should go through the same procedure of washing and burial that their father went through. Indeed, only the guided among Adam's children will abide by this tradition.

One night, Usayd ibn Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him) was reciting the Qur’an in the place where he stores dates, with his horse tied next to him and his son, Yahya, sleeping near him. He noticed that when he started reciting, the horse got startled and moved, and when he stopped the recitation, the horse also stopped moving. He recited for a second time, and the horse leaped as before. He recited once more, and the horse again did the same. Usayd feared that the horse might trample his son Yahya. So he stopped the recitation and stood near the horse to find out the cause of its erratic movement. Over his head, he saw something like a canopy with what looked like lamps in it, and it was rising up in the sky until it went so far that he could no longer see it. In the morning, Usayd (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and told him about the incident. Upon hearing that, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reassured him, informed him of his great status, and appeased him by repeating the following statement thrice: "Recite, O Ibn Hudayr." This statement means: repeat the recitation that caused this amazing event; and it was repeated thrice by the Prophet in order to emphasize its meaning. Actually, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged Usayd (may Allah be pleased with him) to never stop his recitation of the Qur’an in the future, even if this happened again, as it had a great virtue. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that those were actually angels who had been listening to his recitation; and had he continued, the people would have seen them in the morning, and the angels would not have concealed themselves from them.

In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tells that Allah, the Almighty, has angels who often tour the earth and inform the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when any one of this Ummah greets him, saying: Verily, so-and-so sent greetings to you.

This Hadīth is about the participation of angels, headed by Jibrīl (peace be upon him) in the battle of Badr. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that he saw Jibrīl mounting his horse in the battle of Badr, while equipped with tools of war to fight alongside the believers, to support and consolidate the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and to back his Companions.

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informs in this Hadīth that he saw the dust rising in the alleyway of Banu Ghanm, which was a local area of Al-Khazraj, due to the marching of the angel soldiers led by Jibrīl (peace be upon all of them), as they proceeded along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to fight against Banu Qurayzhah. The fact that Anas saw the traces of the angels does not necessarily mean that he saw the angels themselves. He might have seen them and might not. He, undoubtedly, knew this piece of information – that this was a regiment led by Jibrīl – from the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) praised in this Hadīth the venerated Companion Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him). The Throne of the Most Merciful was shaken out of pleasure for Sa‘d's advent to heaven. The gates of heaven were opened for him in order for Allah's mercy to descend and the angels to go down. They were opened to adorn themselves in reception of his soul, because the destination of the believers' souls is Paradise above the seventh heaven. Another virtue of this Companion is that his funeral was attended by seventy thousand angels as a way of showing great veneration to him. Yet, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that in spite of those great virtues and prestigious status of Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh, the grave squeezed him, but then Allah released him. Thus, no one will ever escape the squeeze of the grave. If anyone were to escape it, Mu‘ādh would have been that one, as mentioned by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that among the virtues of Madīnah is the presence of angels at its entrances and roads in order to guard it so that the plague and the Antichrist do not enter it.

Zayd ibn Thābit (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that some Companions were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) collecting the Qur'an from parchments on which they used to write it. In the meantime, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Blessed is the Levant", meaning: a good and comfortable life is for the people of the Levant. As the Companions asked why, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said because the angels of the Most Merciful spread their wings over it, thus protecting it, blessing it, warding off evil from it, and guarding it from disbelief and temptations. The question is: does this description apply to our time or does it refer only to the time that followed the prophet-hood? The answer is: the Hadīth is general, but it does not necessarily indicate permanence, and Allah knows best.

In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commands us to not offer prayer when the edge of the sun that appears first at sunrise shows until the entire sun rises and becomes high in the sky. We should also avoid prayer when the edge of the sun disappears until the sun has completely set. The Prophet has forbidden us from praying at times of sunrise and sunset because the sun rises and sets between the two horns of the devil, i.e. the two sides of his head. This is because the devil faces the sun when it rises so that it rises between his two horns, so that he becomes a Qiblah for those who prostrate themselves before the sun. The same happens during sunset. Therefore, we are prohibited from praying at these times to avoid resembling those people in their false worship.

When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) returned victorious from one of his expeditions, a black slave-girl told him that she had made a vow that if he returned safe and victorious, she would beat the tambourine and sing in celebration of his arrival. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told her that if she had vowed to do so, she should fulfill her vow and beat the tambourine. Otherwise, she should not. She beat the tambourine and kept doing as Abu Bakr, ‘Ali, and ‘Uthmān came in. It was only when ‘Umar entered that she stopped beating. She put the tambourine under her buttocks to cover it in awe of ‘Umar. On that, the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him said that the devil feared ‘Umar, for the girl beat the tambourine in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him; Abu Bakr; ‘Uthmān; and ‘Ali and only stopped when ‘Umar came in. In fact, playing musical instruments is forbidden, as per the consensus of scholars and the indications of multiple texts. The only exception is the tambourine that women may beat in weddings, festivals, and for the arrival of a dear one who was away for home.

‘Āmir Ash-Sha‘bi (may Allah have mercy upon him) asked ‘Alqamah (may Allah have mercy upon him) — both were venerable Tābi‘īn — whether ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) witnessed the night when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) met the Jinn. ‘Alqamah said that he asked Ibn Mas‘ūd about that, and he told him that none of the Companions witnessed that. However, one night, they were with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) but they suddenly could not find him. Therefore, they searched for him in the valleys, roads, and among mountains, but they could not find him. So they feared that the Prophet was assassinated or kidnapped by the Jinn. This prospect was so upsetting to them that they spent the night in grief. In the morning, they saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) coming from the direction of the mount of Hirā'. They told him that they missed him and had looked for him but could not find him, which made them spend the night in great sorrow and grief. However, the Prophet told them that an emissary from he Jinn had come to him, so the Prophet went along with him and read the Qur’an to the Jinn. The Prophet went with the Companions and showed them the traces of the Jinn and the traces of their embers. He told the Companions that the Jinn had asked him for food, so he told them that their food would be every bone on which the name of Allah was mentioned. If such bones fell in their hands, they would find them covered with meat. Likewise, the dung of animals would be fodder for their beasts. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the Muslims to cleanse themselves after defecation with bones and animal dung, for these belong to the food of their brethren from among the Jinn.

Satan places his throne over the water, then dispatches his soldiers from the Jinn to tempt people and mislead them. The closest one to Satan is the one who causes the most mischievous deviation among people. One of those devils will come and say to Satan: I did this and that (i.e. I enticed someone to steal, drink wine, for example). Satan tells him: You did nothing worth the attention. The line continues until one comes up and says: I did not leave so-and-so until I caused dissension between him and his wife to the extent that he divorced her. Satan shall bring him closer, hug him, and say: It is you (i.e. you are the one who fulfilled my wish of misleading and corrupting people).

‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that Labīd ibn al-A‘sam, a Jew from the tribe of Banu Zurayq, cast a spell on the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and he imagined that he had done something that he had not. One day, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was in ‘Ā'ishah's house, but he was paying her no attention as he was totally engrossed in supplicating repeatedly to Allah, the Almighty, to reveal to him the reality behind this issue. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told her that Allah, the Almighty, had answered his supplication and sent two angels to him; one of them sat by his head and the other by his feet. One of them said to the other: “What is wrong with this man?” referring to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). The other said: “He is under a magic spell.” He asked: “Who has bewitched him?” The other said: “Labīd ibn al-A’sam.” He asked: “With what?” meaning: what was used to create this magic spell? The other said: “With a comb and the hair stuck in it, and the skin of a male date palm pollen.” He asked: “Where is it?” The other said: “In the well of Dharwān.” This was a well-known well in Madīnah. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) went there with some of his Companions and took it out. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came back and told ‘Ā'ishah that the water of the well was red like a Henna leaf infusion (either because the water of that well itself was bad or due to what had been thrown into it), and the date palms were as hideous and ugly as the heads of devils. ‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked: "Should you take it out?" meaning: should you take those things out of the pollen skin and show them to the people so they know what had happened? The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No. Allah has healed me and I was afraid that I would spread evil among the people," meaning: Allah has healed me, and I feared that spreading this among the people might bring evil upon them, as it would attract the hypocrites’ attention to the harm that magic can cause, and may encourage them to learn it to harm the believers. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) gave up this benefit due to fear of its evil consequences. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that the well should be filled with earth, and it was. Some people have denied the story of magic being done to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) claiming that it casts doubt upon his infallibility. They argued that, accepting the story means that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) might have imagined that he was seeing Jibrīl when he was not there, and that something had been revealed to him when nothing had been revealed. However, all of this is to be rejected, because the evidence that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was infallible in what he conveyed from Allah, the Almighty, and that he was infallible in his manner of conveying it is well established. The harm that afflicted him due to the magic did not include any deficiency regarding conveying the Message. Rather, it was the sort of illness and troubles that normally afflict human beings. The effect of the magic that was performed on the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was explained in other narration, which stated that he (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) imagined that he had had sexual intercourse with his wives, when he had not done so.

In this Hadīth, Abu Jumu‘ah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that ten people, including himself and Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal, were accompanying the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and they asked him if there were other Muslims who would acquire greater rewards than theirs (meaning: the Prophet's Companions), arguing that they believed in the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) decisively and followed him firmly. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told them that believing and following him was easier for them because he lived among them and brought them the revelation from heaven. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) added that there would be people who would get a greater reward, as they would come after the Companions to find just a book between two covers (the Qur’an), yet they would believe in it and implement its commandments. The meaning is that such Muslims will acquire a reward that is greater than the reward of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) only in this regard, even if the Companions surpassed them in other aspects, such as hard work and dedication in serving Allah and struggling for His cause. Thus, this Hadīth cannot be taken as proof that a Muslim who exists after the time of the Companions is better than the honorable Companions, as earning greater reward for some acts does not ensure absolute superiority. Ahl As-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah believe that Companionship of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is an unparalleled status, and that every Companion is better than any Muslim who comes after the Companions.

This noble Hadīth shows that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions were traveling when they ran out of water. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ensured that they would find water ahead of them. On this news, the people hastened, leaving the Prophet and some Companions behind. Abu Qatādah was still with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). When it was night, the Prophet dozed off, and Abu Qatādah would support him so that he would not fall off his camel. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) woke and prayed that Allah protect Abu Qatādah as he protected him. Then he told him that the people would argue about his whereabouts and that Abu Bakr and ‘Umar would tell them that he is behind them, adding that if people listened to Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, they would be guided. This is one of the signs of his Prophet-hood. Then they slept at night, and they were awakened the next day by the scorching heat of the sun. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that anyone who sleeps until the prayer's prescribed time is over, without intending to miss the prayer, is not negligent. Rather, he is excused. However, anyone who does not pray until the prayer's time is over is negligent. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the Companions with him, proceeded, they joined the rest of the people, who were almost dying of thirst. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) assured them that they would not perish and that they would quench their thirst. He called for Abu Qatādah's small pot and made ablution. Then he invited the people to drink. They all drank except for the Prophet may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, and Abu Qatādah. Abu Qatādah drank only after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that he would drink last, as he was the one serving the water. This incident is one of the miracles of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that whoever says the following upon hearing the muezzin completing the Adhān (call to prayer): (O Allah, Lord of this perfect call), these are the words of the Adhān that are used to call people to worship Allah and to perform the prayer; (perfect) complete, i.e., the call of Tawhīd (monotheism) and the divine message. (And the prayer that is to be established) constantly and that is about to be offered. (Grant) and give (Muhammad Al-Wasīlah) and the highest position in Paradise that is not to be granted to anyone other than him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), (and Al-Fadīlah), i.e., the degree of superiority over others' degrees, (and resurrect him to) and give him (the Praiseworthy Station) that brings praise to the one standing therein, which is a reference to the Grand Intercession on the Day of Judgment (that You have promised him) by saying: {So your Lord may raise you to a praised status} to be yours. Whoever says this supplication becomes worthy of the Prophet's intercession that will be definitely granted to him.

It is a Shariah directive to say this supplication after repeating the words of the Adhān after the muezzin, but whoever does not hear the call does not say it.

The merit of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as he was granted the highest position in Paradise, the degree of superiority, the praiseworthy station, and the Grand Intercession in judging between people.

Establishing the intercession for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as indicated by his saying: "He will be granted my intercession on the Day of Judgment."

The Prophet's intercession will be for those who committed major sins from his Ummah so as not to enter Hellfire, or for those who have already entered it to be taken out, or to be admitted to Paradise without reckoning, or for those who entered Paradise to have their degrees raised.

At-Tībi said: From its beginning until saying "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" is the perfect call. The "Hy‘alah" (saying: Hasten to prayer, hasten to success) refers to the established prayer as in His statement: {establish prayer}. It is probable that "prayer" means supplication and "established" means constant, and based on this, his saying "the prayer that is to be established" is a clarification of the perfect call. It is possible that the intended meaning of the "prayer" referred to here is the specific, established prayer being called to at that time, which is more likely to be correct.

Al-Muhallab said: The Hadīth encourages supplication at the times of prayer because it is a situation when supplications are hoped to be answered.

All of the earth is a place (suitable) for prayer, except for the place where the dead are buried, and this includes all the area inside the fence of a cemetery; and the place where one bathes with hot water for treatment. An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "Prayer in the dwelling places of the devil is disliked by unanimous agreement, such as bars, nightclubs, places where excise taxes are levied, and similar places where sins are openly committed, as well as churches, synagogues, restrooms, etc."

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade sitting on the graves. He also forbade praying while facing the graves if the grave lies in the direction of the Qiblah for the praying person because this is one of the means leading to polytheism.

It is prohibited to offer prayer in the graveyards, between them, or towards them, with the exception of the funeral prayer, as established by the Sunnah.

Praying towards the graves is prohibited to block the means to polytheism.

Islam prohibited immoderate reverence for the graves or disrespect towards them - neither extremism nor neglect.

The inviolability of a Muslim continues after his death, as indicated by the Prophet's statement: "Breaking the bone of a dead person is like breaking it while he was alive."

Mu‘āwiyah ibn al-Hakam As-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) relates what happened when he was praying with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in one of the congregational prayers. He heard a man sneeze and say: "Praise is due to Allah," so he responded immediately by saying: "May Allah have mercy upon you," based on the statement of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "When anyone of you sneezes, he should say 'Praise be to Allah,' and his brother or companion should say 'May Allah have mercy upon you.'" Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was unaware that responding to the one who sneezes by saying "May Allah have mercy upon you” is recommended outside the prayer. "People looked at me disapprovingly," i.e. they gave him a critical look without speaking. He did not know the reason for their disapproval, so he said: "May my mother lose me," i.e. I am doomed. "Why do you stare at me?" i.e. what makes you look at me with such anger? "They began to strike their thighs with their hands," i.e. expressing more disapproval. He understood that they wanted him to be silent and stop talking, so he said nothing. He was wondering about the ugliness of what he had done, and their exaggerated disapproval of his action. He wanted to argue with them, but he said nothing out of compliance, because they were more knowledgeable than him. So, he did not act on his anger or ask them about the reason for their disapproval. When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he was not harsh with him, nor did he reproach him. Rather, he explained to him the Shariah ruling in a way that made it more likely to be accepted and obeyed. "By Allah, he neither scolded me, nor beat me, nor insulted me", rather he gently explained the Shariah ruling, saying: "In prayer, nothing of people's ordinary speech is allowed. Only Tasbīh, Takbīr, and recitation of the Qur'an are allowed", i.e. it is unlawful for people to converse with one another in prayer, it was permissible in the early days of Islam but was later on abrogated. What is permissible during the prayer is: glorifying Allah, declaring His greatness, and recitation of the Qur'an. He told the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that he had recently abandoned the pre-Islamic beliefs and reverted to Islam, hence, he was not aware of all the rulings of religion. He then mentioned that some of his companions go to diviners, and ask them about matters of the unseen that will occur in the future. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade him from going to diviners because they speak about matters of the unseen, and some of their predictions may coincide with reality, and this could be misleading. There are many corroborating authentic Hadīths that demonstrate the prohibition of going to diviners, and believing what they say, as well as paying their fees. Mu‘āwiyah then mentioned the belief in omens, i.e. feeling pessimistic based on something seen or heard, or based on a certain time or place. The Arabs were known for their belief in evil omens, to the point that if one of them intended to do something good, and then he saw birds fly to the right or left – depending on what was known among them – he would delay what he wanted to do. Also, among them were those who would hear a sound or see a person and take it as an evil omen, or those who would be pessimistic about getting married in the month of Shawwāl, or those who would be pessimistic about Wednesday, or the month of Safar. All of this was invalidated by the divine legislation, due to its negative effect on one's mind, thinking, and attitude. Paying no attention to such things represents reliance on Allah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commented on that saying that pessimism is an involuntary feeling, and there is no blame on one in this regard. However, one should not let such pessimism prevent him from managing his affairs, which is something he can control, and one is thus held accountable for. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from acting on omens, and letting such belief in evil omens prevent them from managing their affairs. There are authentic Hadīths that collectively demonstrate the prohibition of believing in omens, which here refers to acting upon them, not to what one feels about them without his actions being affected. "I said: 'Among us are men who draw lines'": According to the Arabs, drawing lines meant that a person would bring a diviner and in front of him would be a boy whom he would order to draw several lines on the sand. Then he would order him to erase them two at a time, then he would look at what finally remained of those lines. If an even number remained, then this would be a proof of happiness and prosperity. If an odd number remained, then this would be a proof of disappointment and hopelessness. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that there was a Prophet who used to draw lines, like the lines drawn in the sand, and would know about matters through perspicacity by the position of those lines. This prophet was either Idrīs (Enoch) or Danyāl (Daniel) (peace be upon them). So if their lines were as the lines of that Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that would be permissible. However, there is no way for us to know for certain that it is done in the same manner of that prophet, so it is not permissible. This statement denotes the prohibition of such a practice, because it is not permissible except with certainty that it is the same as that done by that prophet, and we are not certain. One possibility is that this practice was abrogated in our divine legislation. Another possibility is that the permissibility of drawing lines was a sign on the prophet-hood of that prophet, and it has ceased; so we have been prohibited from practicing it. In sum, the Hadīth indicates the unlawfulness of practicing geomancy, not its permissibility. Furthermore, it indicates the invalidity of the manner in which people practice it, because practicing it in the same way as that prophet requires knowledge of it, and knowledge comes through one of the following ways: 1. A clear, authentic text that clarifies the manner of this science. 2. An uninterrupted transmission concerning this matter from the time of that prophet to the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Both ways do not exist. It is worth mentioning in this context that prophets do not claim knowledge of the unseen, and they never inform people that they know the unseen. Whatever they informed people of unseen matters was only learnt through revelation from Allah, and they never attributed it to themselves. Allah, the Almighty, says (what means): {The All-Knower of the unseen, and He reveals to none His unseen. Except to a messenger whom He has chosen, and then He makes a band of watching guards to march before him and behind him} [Sūrat al-Jinn: 26-27]. That is because the unseen is part of that knowledge which is exclusive to Allah, and no one claims it for himself except a person who claims to share with Allah some of the characteristics of Lordship. That is exactly what the masters of this craft do. Hence, the fraud of these people appears in their claim that this prophet is their teacher. Mu‘āwiyah then mentioned that he had a bondmaid who tended his sheep in a place close to Mount Uhud. One day he happened to pass that way and found out that a wolf had killed one of the sheep that belonged to him. He became angry and wanted to beat her severely for that, but he only gave her a slap. Then he went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who considered what he had done grievous. Mu‘āwiyah ibn al-Hakam As-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) asked if he should emancipate her, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to bring her to him. When he brought her, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Where is Allah?" i.e. where is the deity worthy of worship and characterized by traits of perfection? By this question, he wanted to make sure that she believed in the oneness of Allah, so he spoke to her by what would make his purpose understood, as the sign of those who believe in monotheism is their belief that Allah is in the heaven. She replied that Allah is in Heaven, meaning that He is above everything and above His Throne which is the canopy of the creation. He asked her about himself, and she replied that he was the Messenger of Allah. Thereupon, he ordered Mu‘āwiyah to set her free, for being a believing woman. Her replies were a clear proof of her faith and the soundness of her beliefs.

The thing the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) feared most for his Ummah is a man who read the Qur’an so much that the people noticed its brightness, beauty, and good influence appearing on him. He was also a supporter of Islam and defender of the Muslims until he changes his attitude, gives up Islam, abandons the Qur’an, and kills his neighbor after accusing him of polytheism. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: which of the two will be deserving of such a description: the man who killed his neighbor and accused him of polytheism, or the murdered neighbor? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied that the one who deserves this description is the man who killed his neighbor and accused him of polytheism.

The Hadīth contains criticism of the reciters of the Qur’an who misinterpret it and misapply it or memorize the Qur’an as a means of dissimulation and to avert suspicion away from themselves. However, they do not act according to the Qur’an and their beliefs are contrary to it. The Hadīth states that these reciters are the majority of the hypocrites of this Ummah (community). Some scholars stated that the Hadīth refers to hypocrisy of actions, and not belief. This is because a hypocrite outwardly shows belief in Allah and hides his disbelief in order to protect his life and property. Likewise, the reciter outwardly shows by his actions that he wants the reward of the Hereafter, while he hides the fact that he wants to be praised by people and gain worldly benefit. Therefore, the reciter and the hypocrite are similar in that their internal state contradicts their external state.

Abu Umāmah (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned in this Hadīth that a man went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him whether Adam was a prophet. The Prophet answered in the affirmative. The man then asked about the time gap between Adam and Nūh (peace be upon them). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that it was ten centuries. The man further asked about the time gap between Nūh and Ibrahīm. The Prophet gave the same answer: ten centuries. The man finally asked about the number of messengers, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that they were three hundred and fifteen.

This Hadīth says that Allah, the Exalted, selected Kinānah and gave him eminence over the children of Isma‘īl from among the Arabs. Then Allah chose Quraysh and gave them precedence over the tribe of Kinānah. Then Allah chose the children of Hāshim and gave them merit over the rest of the tribe of Quraysh. Then Allah selected Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and gave him eminence over the children of Hāshim. So the Prophet is the master of the children of Adam, the best of them in virtue and in this capacity of him, and he is not arrogantly proud. He is just conveying the divine revelation in this respect. Also, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) will be the first one to be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection, the first one to intercede, and the first one whose intercession will be accepted.

This Hadīth shows that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has five names: Muhammad; Ahmad; Al-Māhi, whereby Allah effaces unbelief and the unbelievers; Al-Hāshir, who will be gathered before all people on the Day of Judgment and Al-‘Āqib, after whom there is no prophet, with him being the last and the seal of Allah's Prophets. This does not mean that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has only five names. He has other names which have been proved by authentic traditions, such as Al-Muqaffi (the last Prophet to be sent), the Prophet of mercy), the Prophet of repentance, etc.

Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called himself with several names. Abu Mūsa retained in his memory some of these names, including: Muhammad, Ahmad, Al-Muqaffi (the last and seal of prophets), Al-Hāshir (the first to be resurrected on the Day of Judgment), the Prophet of Mercy for he carries compassion and mercy to mankind in general, through the legislation he came with, and to the believers in particular through the special merits they are granted. He is also the Prophet of Repentance, which means that he is the one whose legislation states that Allah accepts repentance by intention (of the heart) and words (of the tongue), as opposed to the legislation of some past nations whose repentance required killing themselves. It could also mean that he is the one in whose Ummah repentance is common and frequent, because his followers outnumbers all other nations, which entails that the repentant among them outnumbers those of other nations. The Prophet is also called Nabyy al-Malhamah (the Prophet of War) because he was keen on making Jihad to make the word of Allah superior.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw mucus on the wall of the mosque toward the prayer direction. This was difficult for him to bear and he got noticeably upset. So he stood up and scraped the mucus off with his noble hand. In doing so, he was teaching his community to be humble toward Allah and to respect His house. The Prophet noted that when someone stands to pray, he communicates with Allah, mentions His name, and recites His revelation. So the appropriate thing to do is to be humble and to fully concentrate. Also, one has to remember the greatness of Allah and avoid inappropriate manners, including spitting in the direction of the prayer. If one needs to do so, he may spit in a handkerchief or so. In the prayer, one should feel that he is meeting Allah, the Most High, so one has to turn to Allah with complete devotion. Even though Allah is in the heavens above His throne, He is in front of the person praying, because He encompasses everything: {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing} [Sūrat Ash-Shūra: 11]. This does not mean that Allah mixes with people or that He is in the place where one prays. Allah is close to those who pray to Him and those who supplicate to Him. His nearness befits His majesty; no human assimilation is at all contemplated. To make this point relevant, the sun is above us, but is also in front of us when it rises and when it sets.

’Umm Salamah, the Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) mentioned to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that when she was in Abyssinia, she saw a church, called Māriyah, that had images, decorations, and drawings therein and she was amazed at that. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the reason behind using such images. He said: Those people, whom you mentioned, whenever a righteous man among them died, would build a place of worship over his grave and make such images. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that whoever does this is counted among the most evil people in the sight of Allah Almighty because his deed leads to associating partners with Allah Almighty.

It is prohibited to build mosques over graves, pray at graves, or bury the dead in mosques to block the means to Shirk (polytheism).

Building places of worship over graves and putting images therein are practices of the Jews and Christians. So, whoever does this has acted like them.

It is prohibited to acquire images of living beings.

Whoever builds a mosque over a grave and puts images therein is one of the most wicked people.

The Shariah is keen on fully protecting the soundness of Tawhīd (monotheism), as it blocks all means that may lead to Shirk.

Exaggeration in honoring righteous people is prohibited because it leads to falling in Shirk.

The meaning of the 'Tashyeed' of the mosques here is building high and lofty mosques, as Al-Baghawi said. However, there is nothing wrong with building and strengthening the mosque and perfecting its construction in a professional way, yet without decoration, embellishment, and adornment; so long as it does not involve ostentation, showing off and seeking fame. This is supported by the Hadīth of ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān: "Whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, Allah builds for him the like of it in Paradise." The mosque of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was made from adobe, its roof from palm branches, and its pillars from palm timber. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not add anything to it. When the wood and palm branches began to rot during the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) he restored it to its original construction and added to it. During the caliphate of ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) he added a lot to it, building its walls from stones and plaster, and making its pillars from stones and its roof from oak, thus adding to it what would strengthen it, not adorn it. All what he did was for stabilization and plastering, without embellishment and adornment. As for the engraved stones, they were not engraved by his command; rather, they simply happened to be engraved. Those who were not pleased with his act from among the Companions had no evidence supporting its (engraved stone) prohibition except the encouragement to follow the example of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as well as that of ‘Umar, in the construction of the mosque while avoiding luxuries. Yet, it does not entail prohibition or dislike of strengthening mosques.

Hanzhalah ibn Hidhyam ibn Hanīfah narrates that his grandfather Hanīfah ordered his son Hidhyam to gather his children for him because he wanted to leave a testament before his death. The children gathered, and he told them that the orphan who was in his custody should be given one hundred camels. Before Islam, these camels were called the Mutayyabah, meaning: good camels that people liked for being from among the best camels. Hidhyam told his father that he heard his siblings say that they would approve of their father's will but that they would recant it on his death and would not give the orphan anything. So Hanīfah said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would judge between them. Hidhyam said that they were fine with the prospective judgment of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings upon him. So Hidhyam; Hanīfah; and Hanzhalah, the son of Hidhyam — escorting his father — went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and greeted him. He asked Hanīfah (the father of Hidhyam) what had made him come over to him. Hanīfah pointed to Hidhyam, remarking that he feared that he would die before leaving a testament. He added that the first point of the bequest was that the orphan who was in his custody should be given one hundred camels, which were called, before Islam, the good and favorable ones. On that account, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) became so angry that they discerned that in his face. He changed his sitting position and knelt down. He said that a charity should consist of five camels, or else ten, or else fifteen, or else twenty, or else twenty-five, or else thirty, or else thirty-five, or a maximum of forty. He meant that charity is allowed if it does not exceed the third of one's wealth. They left him, and the orphan had a stick with him wherewith he drove a camel. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remarked that such a stick was too big for an orphan. By this, he meant that the orphan was a man of a big stature, and it was an exaggeration to call him an orphan, for he was not that young. Hanzhalah said that his grandfather drew him closer to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said that he had old bearded sons and younger children, and the youngest of them was Hanzhalah, so he asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to pray for him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wiped his head and invoked Allah's blessings on him. Dhayyāl, a narrator of this Hadīth, said that he later saw Hanzhalah being brought a man with a swollen face or a beast with sore udders, so he would spit on his hand; say: Bismillāh" (in the name of Allah); put his hand on his head where the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had put his hand; and then wipe the affected part of the man or beast, and the tumor would disappear.

Prophet Mūsa (Moses)(peace be upon him) was a man of abundant bashfulness. He always loved to cover himself so that his skin would not be seen out of bashfulness. The Children of Israel verbally abused him. They said that he covered himself as such because he had a skin defect like leprosy or scrotal hernia (i.e. a bulging groin), or some other defect or disease. So, Allah wanted to prove to them that Mūsa was not suffering any of that. One day, he was alone, so he put his clothes on a stone and bathed. After the bath, he went to take his clothes but the stone ran with the clothes on it. Mūsa took his staff and ran naked after the stone, asking it to give him his clothes back. While running, he passed by a group of the Children of Israel who saw him naked and saw that he had perfect skin. They knew then that he had no skin defects. Mūsa caught up with the stone and took his clothes and put them on. He then hit the stone with his staff, leaving on it three, four, or five marks. Allah, the Exalted, referred to this incident in the Qur'an, in the following verse: {O you who have believed, be not like those who abused Moses; then Allah cleared him of what they said. And he, in the sight of Allah, was distinguished} [Sūrat al-Ahzāb: 69]. It warns the believers not to abuse Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as the Children of Israel abused Mūsa, who had an honorable status with Allah, the Almighty, and so Allah cleared him of what they had falsely attributed to him.

‘Īsa the Son Maryam (peace be upon him) saw a man stealing. He asked the man if he had stolen. The man swore by Allah that he had not. So ‘Īsa said that he believed in Allah and disbelieved in his own eyes. This means that he believed the man, for he swore by Allah, and ruled out that he ostensibly stole. The man could have taken something that belonged to him, or with its owner's permission, or not meaning to seize it unlawfully, or merely to look into it, etc. This illustrates how much the prophets glorify Allah, the Most High.

Children are poked in their sides by the devil when they are born, so they scream immediately after birth. Only Maryam and ‘Īsa (peace be upon both of them) did not experience that. Allah protected them at birth, for Maryam's mother prayed: {And I seek refuge with You (Allah) for her and her offspring from Satan, the outcast} [Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān: 36]. Allah answered her supplication and protected Maryam and her son ‘Īsa from the devil's poke. Maryam had no children other than ‘Īsa. The devil's poke is a real thing. It does not mean that the devil seeks to lead humans astray, as some Mu‘tazilites said. It is obligatory to believe in this Hadīth in its literal sense, as it is the chosen opinion of Ahl As-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that Al-Khidr got this name because once he sat on a barren piece of land that had no plantation, and it turned into a greenery. Al-Khidr is mentioned in the story of Mūsa in Sūrat al-Kahf. Scholars differed whether he was a prophet or a righteous ally of Allah. The sound opinion is that he is a prophet.

The honorable one is the one who combined honorable manners with the high rank of prophet-hood and being the son of three successive prophets. Along with these merits, he also was conferred the honor of dream interpretation and in authority he managed the affairs of people in a praiseworthy and a beautiful manner. This person was the Prophet, Yūsuf, the son of Ya‘qūb, the son of Is'hāq, the son of Ibrahīm (peace be upon all of them).

It is not permissible for anyone to say that Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is better than Yūnus ibn Matta (peace be upon him). Matta was the father, not the mother of Yūnus, who was a noble Prophet. Allah sent him with guidance and light to bring people out from the darkness. Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said this out of modesty, because it is known that he was the best of the children of Adam. He probably said this before knowing that he was the best of all humans. He singled out Yūnus (peace be upon him) because he feared that those who heard his story would discredit him, so he highlighted his merits in order to block such thoughts. His story was narrated by As-Suddi from Ibn Mas‘ūd and others. Allah sent Yūnus to the people of Nineveh in the lands of Mosul. They accused him of lying, so he promised them that a punishment would descend upon them at a certain time and left them in anger. When they saw the consequences of this, they submitted to Allah and believed in Him. So Allah removed the punishment from them. Yūnus set off and boarded a boat. The boat started to sink, so lots were cast and he was taken off the boat and thrown into the water where a whale swallowed him. He called out from within the darknesses: “There is no true deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” Allah responded to him, and ordered the whale to cast him onto the shore, where He grew a gourd vine over him to shade him.

The sun has never been stopped from running in its orbit for any human being except for Yūsha‘ ibn Nūn (the servant of Moses, who traveled with him to Al-Khidr), when he marched to Jerusalem. He feared that the sun would set before he could enter the city on Friday. If the sun had set, he would enter on Saturday, on which fighting was forbidden. So, he said to the sun: ''You are commanded, and so am I. O Allah, hold it (from setting).'' So the sun stopped for him until he entered Jerusalem.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade cursing the Companions, especially the earlier forerunners among the Muhājirīn and the Ansār. He informed that if anyone spent gold equal to Mount ’Uhud, his reward would not reach the reward of any of the Companions spending a Mudd of food or half of it - a Mudd is enough to fill the palms of an average man. This is due to their great sincerity and truthful intentions and because they spent and fought before the Conquest of Makkah when there was a great need for that.

Cursing the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) is prohibited and one of the major sins.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that anyone who attended the Battle of Badr, which took place in the second year of Hijrah, fighting alongside the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), or attended the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, which included the Pledge of Ridwān in the sixth year of Hijrah, will not enter Hellfire.

It reflects the merit of those who participated in Badr and Hudaybiyah, as they will not enter Hellfire.

Highlighting the fact that Allah Almighty absolves them of injustices, grants them the guidance to die upon faith, and admits them into Paradise without first being punished by the Fire. Such is the bounty of Allah, which He bestows upon whom He wills, and Allah is the Possessor of great bounty.

In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) invoked divine forgiveness on the Ansār, their children, and their grandchildren. This indicates an evident virtue of the Ansār and their progeny after them.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Abu Bakr as-Siddīq and ‘Umar al-Fārūq (may Allah be pleased with both of them) are the best of mankind after the prophets and the best of those who are admitted to Paradise after the prophets and messengers.

Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) are the best people after the prophets and messengers.

There is no old person in Paradise; rather, whoever is admitted therein will be at the age of thirty-three. What is meant here is that they are the masters of those who died in this world from the elderly, or that this is based on what they were in this world at the time of this Hadīth.

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reports from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that Allah made the truth appear upon the tongue and in the heart of ‘Umar. That was a fixed and instinctive quality of ‘Umar. His son Ibn ‘Umar further says that nothing ever happened during the Prophet's lifetime and that the Companions, including ‘Umar, had their own say about it except that the Qur’an was revealed in agreement with Umar's opinion.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that his daughter Fātimah is part of him. So anyone who makes her angry, it is as if he angered the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that his two grandsons, Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn, the sons of ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib and Fātimah, the Prophet's daughter (may Allah be pleased with them), are the masters of those who die young and enter Paradise in terms of virtue, or they are the masters of the youth of Paradise except for the prophets and the rightly-guided caliphs.

It indicates the clear merit of Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with both of them).

It was said regarding the meaning of the Hadīth: At the time of the Hadīth, they were the masters of the youth who were from among the people of Paradise from the youth of that era. Or they are superior to those for whom a general preference has not been established like that established for the prophets and the caliphs. Or they are the masters of those who possess the qualities of youth and manliness, such as chivalry, generosity, and courage, and it does not refer to the age of youth because Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn both died as middle-aged men.

A man from Iraq came to Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him: Is it permissible for a person in the state of Ihrām to kill harmful insects such as mosquitoes? Ibn ‘Umar was taken by surprise because the asker was concerned with such a trivial matter. Ibn ‘Umar was surprised by the question considering the man's background. He came from people who dared to commit major sins. So he said: ''Look at this man, he is asking me about the blood of mosquitoes, while they [Iraqis] killed the Prophet's grandson.'' So, they committed grave sins, yet showed that they feared Allah in their rituals. They even asked whether it was fine to kill mosquitoes. He then said: "I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: ‘They [his two grandsons] are my two flowers in this world.’” The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) described his two grandsons as flowers, because he would kiss and smell them, as if they were among the sweet-smelling things that people enjoy in this world.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in one of the markets of Madīnah. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left the market and so did Abu Hurayrah. he went to the house of Fātimah, (may Allah be pleased with her) and asked about Al-Hasan,(may Allah be pleased with him) asking: "Where is Luka‘?" He meant: where is the little child? He then said: "Call him for me." Al-Hasan got up and walked towards the Prophet wearing a necklace around his neck. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stretched his hand out to hug Al-Hasan and he did the same thing. They hugged each other. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, I do love Al-Hasan. So love him and love whoever loves him." Abu Hurayrah commented: "There was none more beloved to me than Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali. He said that after he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had said what he said about him.

One day the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took Al-Hasan, when he was a little boy, to the mosque and got him up the pulpit. He told people that Al-Hasan, his grandson, was a master, i.e. of a noble origin since he belongs to the noblest house on earth. He further said that Allah, the Almighty, would reconcile by means of Al-Hasan two conflicting groups of the Muslims. The dispute would thus end and Muslims would unite. These words of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) certainly attest to his prophet-hood. He said that this noble master Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) would end inter-Muslim conflicts and get Muslims together in unity. This actually took place when Al-Hasan relinquished the office of the caliphate in favor of Mu‘āwiyah, thereby preventing a bloodshed and creating unity in the Year of Jamā‘ah (40 or 41 AH).

This Hadīth indicates the high status of Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn, the Prophet's grandsons. Anyone who loves them has indeed loved the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and anyone who hates them has actually hated the Prophet.

This was a commandment for the Companions that the best of them would be the kindest to the Prophet's family, which includes his wives, children, and relatives, after his death. The Companions accepted his commandment and treated his family with honor and reverence. For instance, ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf sold a garden of his for four hundred thousand, then divided it between the wives of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told ‘Ā'ishah that Jibrīl greets her with the greetings of peace. She returned the greeting by invoking Allah's peace, mercy, and blessings upon him. She also told the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that he saw what she could not see, in reference to his seeing Jibrīl.

The men who attained religious and moral perfection are many. Some reached the common level of perfection such as scholars, righteous men, and pious allies of Allah. Others reached the most sublime levels of perfection such as the prophets. However, there are very few women who attained perfection; on top of which were Āsiyah bint Muzāhim, the wife of Pharaoh. Allah presented her as an example of perfect faith in the Qur'an: {And Allah presents an example of those who believed: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said: "My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrongdoing people"} [Sūrat At-Tahrīm:11]. She believed in Mūsa (peace be upon him) when he overcame the magicians of Pharaoh. When Pharaoh found out about her conversion, he tortured her severely until she died adhering to her faith. The other perfect lady was Maryam, the daughter of ‘Imrān. Allah presented her as an example of chastity and perfect worship in the Qur'an. Finally, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that the merit of ‘Ā'ishah over women is like the merit of Tharīd over all other food. Tharīd is the most delicious food for Arabs. It is made of bread and meat. So, ‘Ā'ishah is the best of women, just as the Tharīd is the best of food.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw in a dream his cousin Ja‘far ibn Abi Tālib flying in Paradise with the angels. Therefore, he was called Ja‘far At-Tayyār, meaning "the flying Ja‘far", and Dhu al-Janāhayn, meaning "the one with the two wings". Ja‘far was martyred in the battle of Mu'tah after both his arms were cut off, so Allah, the Almighty, replaced them with two wings with which he flies with the angels in Paradise.

Ibrahīm, the son of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from Māriyah the Copt, died when he was eighteen months old. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that Allah, the Almighty, had prepared someone in Paradise to breastfeed him until his suckling period would be completed.

Every nation has an extremely trustworthy man known for his honesty more than others. The person who is most well-known for his honesty and trustworthiness in the Muslim nation is Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrāh (may Allah be pleased with him). Although honesty is a common characteristic of all the Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) yet the context of the Hadīth shows that Abu ‘Ubaydah has a higher level of trustworthiness than others.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was wearing two coats of iron mail to protect himself from the enemies' stabbings in the battle of Uhud. Then, he turned towards a boulder to climb on it, but he could not. So Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) came and sat under the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) helping him climb and settle over the boulder. Upon this, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It (Paradise) is obligatory for Talhah", It means that Talhah guaranteed himself Paradise by what he had done on this day, and he deserves it.

Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās approached a gathering of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and when the Prophet saw him, he said: This is my maternal uncle, I am boasting about him. Let any person show me his maternal uncle, to show that no one has a maternal uncle like mine. Sa‘d was from Banu Zuhrah clan, and the mother of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) āminah, was from Banu Zuhrah as well. So he was a relative of Āminah, and the relatives of the mother are referred to as maternal uncles.

‘Alī (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he never saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ask that his parents be sacrificed for someone after Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās, insofar as he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say to him during the battle of Uḥud: "Shoot the unbelievers with arrows, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you," i.e. I offer my parents as a sacrifice for you so that you remain unharmed. And it was confirmed in an authentic Hadīth that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ask that his parents be sacrificed for Zubayr during the battle of the Trench. Both incidents can be settled under the possibility that ‘Alī (may Allah be pleased with him) was not aware of that, or that what he meant was in relation to the battle of Uhud only.

Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf (may Allah have mercy upon him narrates that the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) spoke to his wives saying: “I am concerned about your affairs and life after my death, as I will not leave you any inheritance. No one will bear the burden of providing for you, except those who are patient.” Then ‘Ā'ishah said to Abu Salamah: “May Allah let your father, ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf, drink from a spring in Paradise called Salsabīl,” as ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf gave a garden to the Prophet's wives in charity and it was sold for forty thousand dinars.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated in favor of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān that Allah would make him a guide to good, make him a guided person, and guide people through him.

This Hadīth shows the merit of the great Companion ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir (may Allah be pleased with him). Whenever he was given the choice between two matters, he would choose the more righteous and closer to the truth of the two.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) testifies that ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās and his brother Hishām ibn al-‘Ās are believers. May Allah be pleased with both of them. This Hadīth indirectly refutes the claim of those who disparage the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).

When Allah, the Exalted, intends for one of His slaves to die in a particular land other than the one he is in, He gives him a reason to go there. So when he goes to fulfill his need in that land, Allah, the Exalted, takes his soul. Anything Allah, Glorified and Exalted, decreed and wrote must happen exactly as He decreed it. This is a part of believing in the Divine Decree and Preordainment.

When Allah, the Exalted, wills good for one of his slaves, He guides him to do righteous deeds before he dies so that he dies whilst doing those righteous deeds. Thus, he is blessed with a good end and hence enters Paradise.

Two old Jewesses from Madīnah entered the place of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and told her that the dead are punished in their graves. ‘Ā’ishah denied what they said and refused to believe them, for she did not like to believe the Jews who are known for lying, religious fabrications, and distortion of the Scripture. After these two Jewesses had departed, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came and ‘Ā’ishah informed him of what they said. In response, he said: “They spoke the truth", for the dead are subject to torture that all animals can hear. Then, ‘Ā’ishah went on to inform us that she never saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ever since offer a prayer without seeking refuge from the punishment of the grave.

Asmā' bint Abu Bakr As-Siddīq informed that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up one day to admonish people and remind them of the Hereafter. During his sermon, he started talking about the grave, its reality, and its trials in which two angels (Munkar and Nakīr) shall question man about his Lord, his Prophet, and his religion. This will be a great trial because one will be tested with regard to one's faith and certain belief. Anyone passes this test, s/he will be successful; and anyone fails,s/he will be doomed. Upon hearing this, Muslims shouted loudly out of fear from the trail of the grave, and their loud noise prevented Asmā' from hearing what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was saying. When the noise calmed down, Asmā' asked a man who was near her, saying: "May Allah bless you, what did the Prophet say at the end of his speech?" The man told her that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah revealed to me that the people will be tried and tested in their graves with a trial close to that of the Anti-Christ," meaning that the trial of the Anti-Christ is as difficult and severe as the trail of the grave.

Zayd ibn Thābit relates that while they were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in a garden belonging to an Ansāri tribe called Banu An-Najjār, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was riding his mule when it suddenly swerved from the path, startled and almost dropped him off its back. In that place there were four, five, or six graves, so the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked: Who knows the buried people in these graves? A man replied: I know them. So he said: If you know them then when did they die? The man answered: They died in the days of polytheism. Then he said: This nation will be tested in their graves, then they will receive either bliss or torment; and if it was not for the fear that you would not bury your dead, I would invoke Allah to let hear some of the punishment of the grave that I hear, for if you hear it, you will cease burying your dead, due to the fear that the screams of the dead would pluck out your hearts, or the fear of exposing your relatives, that their affairs be known. Then he turned to his Companions and said: Ask Allah to protect you from the punishment of the Fire. They said: We seek Allah's protection from the punishment of the Fire. Then he said: Ask Allah to protect you from the punishment of the grave. They said: We seek protection and refuge of Allah from being afflicted with the punishment of the grave. Then he said: Ask Allah to protect you from trials, the apparent and the hidden thereof. They said: We seek protection of Allah from the apparent and hidden trials. Then he said: Ask Allah to protect you from the trial of the Anti-Christ, as he is the greatest trial that will lead to disbelief resulting in eternal punishment in the Fire. They said: We seek protection of Allah from the trial of the Anti-Christ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out after the sun had set. He heard the voice of the Jews while being tormented. He said that this was the voice of the Jews while being tormented in their graves.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that when a servant dies, his dwelling and specific place in Paradise or Hellfire are shown to him at the beginning and the end of each day: his place in Paradise if he is among the people of Paradise, and his place in Hellfire if he is among the people of Hellfire. It will be said to him: This is your place to which you will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment. This serves as a means of comfort and delight for the believer and a torment for the disbeliever.

The punishment and bliss of the grave are true.

Ibn Hajar said: This presentation is clear for the pious believer and the disbeliever. As for the sinning believer, it is also possible that his seat in Paradise is shown to him to which he will eventually end up.

When the deceased is buried, two black and blue angels come to him; one named Munkar and the other Nakīr. They say to him: What did you use to say about this man? They mean the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He says: He is the slave of Allah and His Messenger; I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. They say: We knew that you would say that; then his grave is widened for him seventy cubits by seventy, then it is illuminated for him. Then it is said to him: Sleep; and he will say: I wish to return to my family and inform them of my pleasant condition so that they would be happy and not grieve over me. They will say: Sleep like the sleep of a bridegroom who will not be awakened except by the most beloved of his family to him. Then, he will sleep peacefully until Allah resurrects him on the Day of Resurrection. On the other hand, if the deceased is a hypocrite he will say: I heard people saying something, i.e. that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, so I said as they were saying: and I do not really know if he was a prophet or not. They will say: We knew that you would say that; then it will be said to the earth: gather together and tighten around him. Then its parts will gather around him tightly until his ribs will be no longer in the normal arranged state as they used to be due to the severity of the pressure and the squeezing of his body parts, thereby each of his two sides will cross over the other. He will continue to be tormented in this condition until Allah, the Exalted, resurrects him on the Day of Resurrection.

The Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) looked out from a high fort from the forts of Madīnah and said to his Companions: Do you see what I see? I see the trials and tribulations that occur in the midst of your houses as plenty and heavy as the raindrops. This is an indication to the wars and trials that were to occur in Madīnah after the Prophet’s death, such as the killing of ‘Uthmān, the battle of Al-Harrah, etc.

‘Awf ibn Mālik went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the battle of Tabūk, while he was sitting in a leather tent. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Count six signs that indicate the approach of the Hour: my death, the conquest of Jerusalem." Jerusalem was conquered during the reign of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb. Then the Prophet spoke of a sweeping plague and increase of money. It is said there was a surplus of money during the time of ‘Uthmān because of the conquests. The Prophet further spoke of a great trial that would enter each Arab house. This was probably the assassination of ‘Uthmān and the subsequent tribulations. Then he spoke of a truce between the Muslims and the Romans. However, the Romans will betray the truce and attack the Muslims under eighty flags. Under each flag will be twelve thousand soldiers, totaling 960,000.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us in this Hadīth about the approach of the Day of Judgment. The start of His mission and the Day of Judgment are as close as his two fingers are to each other, and he pointed with them, stretching them out, to make them distinct from his other fingers. In some other Hadīths, it was mentioned that those two fingers were the index and middle fingers, which are very close when joined, with only the length of a nail or even half a nail between them. The index finger is called Sabbābah because if one wants to insult (Sabb) someone, he points at him with that finger. Moreover, it is also called Sabbāhah because one raises that finger when he glorifies Allah, Exalted and Glorified, pointing at the sky. The Hadīth highlights, in brief, the fact that the worldly life is short and will soon come to an end.

The Hour will not be established until a fire comes out of Makkah, Madīnah, and the surrounding area. It will illuminate the necks of camels in the city of Busra in Sham. In the year 654 A.H., a fire came out in Madīnah, and it was a great fire that came out from the eastern side of Madīnah behind Al-Harrah. All the people of the Levant and all other lands learned about that fire. Contemporary scholars at that time, like An-Nawawi, Al-Qurtubi, and Abu Shāmah, mentioned it in their books.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Muslims will conquer Iraq, and a certain measure and weight will be levied on properties of its people to be given to the Muslims. This amount levied on people will be prevented at the end of time due to invasion of these lands by the non-Arab disbelievers. The disbelievers will prevent it from reaching the Muslims. The Prophet also informs that the Muslims will also conquer the Levant, and a certain measure and weight will be levied on properties of its people to be given to the Muslims. This amount levied on people will be prevented at the end of time due to invasion of these lands by the Romans. The Romans will prevent it from reaching the Muslims as well. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) talked about a caliph emerging in the last periods of the Muslim Ummah who would freely give handfuls of wealth to the people without counting it due to its abundance resulting from expansion of his conquests. This caliph will throw money to people as he throws dust away from his hands. The narrator mentioned that when he asked some scholars of the Tābi‘is if this caliph was ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azīz, and they answered in the negative.

The Companion Nāfi‘ ibn ‘Utbah relates that he was with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during a battle. Some people clad in woolen clothes came from the direction of the west to meet the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who was sitting on a high place, and they were standing. Nāfi‘ said to himself that he should not leave the Prophet alone with those strangers, so he should go and stand with them, so that they would not kill the Prophet unnoticed. Then he said to himself that the Prophet was probably having a private conversation with them and did not want anyone to hear or know about it. However, he went to where they were standing and stood between them and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then Nāfi‘ said that he memorized from the Prophet four sentences that he could count on his fingers. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that Muslims after him would fight the disbelieving Arabs. All Arabs would enter Islam, and the whole Arabian Peninsula would be under the rule of Muslims. Then he said that they would fight the Persians and conquer all the Persian territories. Then they would fight the Byzantines, defeat them, and open their lands. Then they would fight the Anti-Christ, and Allah would vanquish him. Then Nāfi‘ said to Jābir ibn Samurah that the Anti-Christ would emerge only after the Byzantines are conquered. These four things happened except the fighting of the Anti-Christ, which will take place just before the advent of the Hour.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that this religion will prevail all over the globe and will reach every single place that has been reached by night and day. Allah Almighty will not leave a dwelling in the city, village, wilderness, or desert except that He will bring this religion thereto. Whoever accepts and believes in this religion will be honored with the honor of Islam, and whoever rejects and denies it will be disgraced and humiliated. Then Tamīm ad-Dāri, the Companion (may Allah be pleased with him), informed that he saw this statement of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) coming true, particularly with members of his family. Those of them who embraced Islam were in a state of well-being, honor, and high standing; and those who disbelieved led a life of humiliation and disgrace, along with the money they had to pay to the Muslims.

Glad tidings to the Muslims that their religion will spread all over the globe.

Honor is for Islam and Muslims and humiliation is for disbelief and the disbelievers.

The Hadīth includes one of the proofs and signs of prophethood as this happened just as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had said.

Two groups from the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) will be saved from Hellfire: a group that invades the lands of India and fights the disbelievers in the cause of Allah, and a group that will be with ‘Īsa ibn Maryam when he comes down to earth at the end of the time, after the appearance of the Anti-Christ, whom ‘Īsa (peace be upon him) will kill.

Before the advent of the Hour, the Muslims will fight the Turks, who are distinguished by their small eyes; white reddish faces, because of the cold weather; and short, flat noses. Their faces resemble a shield for being broad and round and seem hammered for being plump and fleshy. And before the advent of the Hour, the Muslims will fight people who wear shoes made of hair. They are the same Turks who were previously mentioned, but they are mentioned with a different description here.

The Hour will not appear until the Muslims fight the people of Khudh and Kirman from the non-Arab lands. They are described as having white reddish faces, due to the effect of the cold on their bodies. Their noses are flat and their eyes are small. Their faces are like flat round shields “coated with leather,” to indicate their chubbiness and they walk in shoes made of hair.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swears by Allah that there will come a time when murder would be so widespread that the killer would not know the reason he killed and the killed would not know the reason he was killed for.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in his speech on the Day of the Conquest of Makkah that everything that is proudly mentioned of the pre-Islamic times is void and worthless. The only exceptions are supplying pilgrims with water and serving the Sacred House. These two things would maintain their previous status. In the pre-Islamic times, the Hijābah (general maintenance of the Ka‘bah) belonged to the Banu ‘Abd Ad-Dār, and the Siqāyah (providing water for the pilgrims) belonged to the Banu Hāshim. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) approved such assignments. Then he mentioned that the semi-intentional killing, which is to hit someone with a tool that does not kill, such as a whip or a stick, entails full blood money, meaning one hundred camels, forty of which are pregnant.

In this Hadīth, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated against the effeminate men (who imitate the appearance and manners of women) and the masculine women (who imitate the appearance and manners of men). He supplicated Allah to curse them and expel them from His mercy, because their behavior is an alteration of the creation of Allah, the Almighty. He then ordered Muslims to get them out of their homes and towns to ward off their evil and to maintain the purity and chastity of the Muslim households.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told Khālid ibn ‘Urfutah that there will be differences, wars, and trials in the future. For example, the Muslim Ummah will not have a ruler at all, or there will be a leader for each territory. Therefore, dissensions and wars will arise among them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Khālid to isolate himself from such temptations and not engage in them; to be killed unjustly would be better for him than to kill a Muslim. In this case, it is recommended to confine oneself to one's house or to completely move from the affected country. However, there is a proof that one may defend oneself, one's family, and one's property at times of tribulation. He is to be excused for killing or being killed, unless corruption and conflicts arise from that. If the Muslims are united around an Imām, regardless of whether he is just or despotic, and a group of people rebel against him, and they have some power and want to create dissension, then the Imām should communicate with them. If they refuse to obey him and scared the Muslims, then the Imām should fight them so as to restrain their evil. The people should side with the Imām in fighting those rebels until they come back in conciliation, return to Allah's commands, and obey the leadership. This applies to oppressors as well as those who rebel against the ruler and leave his obedience.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent an army brigade to a group from the tribe of Khath‘am who were disbelievers. So, some of them resorted to prostration to show that they were Muslim. However, the Muslims hastened to kill them, thinking that they were polytheists, and because they stayed among the polytheists. When it was later confirmed that they (who prostrated) had converted to Islam, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made their blood money half of that of Muslims. He did not give them a full blood money because they were the reason behind their own killing. The Shariah forbids staying in the land of the disbelievers, such that Muslims should not meet the disbelievers or their fires cross. This means that they should not be close enough to see each other's fire. The purpose is for the Muslims to disassociate themselves from disbelief and its people.

This noble Companion went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with a group of his people to ask him for things. He was the last one to enter upon the Messenger of Allah. One of his questions was that some people that he had left behind were saying that Hijrah had come to an end. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that Hijrah from the land of disbelief to the land of Islam would not cease so long as the Muslims are in fight with the disbelievers. However, Hijrah from Makkah to Madīnah had ceased based on the Hadīth: ''There is no Hijrah after the Conquest (of Makkah).'' [Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]

This Hadīth shows that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set forth to fight the disbelievers on the Day of Badr, a polytheist who was strong and courageous followed him to fight with him and get a share of the booty. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him whether he believed in Allah and the Last Day, and the man told him that he did not. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stated that he would not seek the help of a polytheist, for polytheists are not to be trusted with protecting the believers. Treacherous as they could be, they might convey the news of Muslims to the disbelievers. However, the man came again to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who then asked him whether he became a Muslim, and the answered in the affirmative. Hence, he asked him to join the army. The point of the Hadīth is that it is not permissible to seek the help of the polytheists in fighting, although it is permissible in the case of need and necessity, as indicated by other proofs.

This tradition is reported by ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) who says about himself that he will be the first person to kneel before the Lord of the worlds on the Day of Resurrection for the dispute and that Verse 19 of Sūrat al-Hajj was revealed concerning himself, Hamzah, and Abu ‘Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with them) when they dueled with the heads of disbelief during the battle of Badr: Shaybah ibn Rabī‘ah, ‘Utbah ibn Rabī‘ah, and Al-Walīd ibn ‘Utbah. This indicates that it is permissible to duel with the swords before the battle starts.

In this Hadīth, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) tells about the Prophet's determination to expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula so that there would not be two religions in the Peninsula and to keep it ever redolent of monotheism, with no trace of polytheism. That is because living near the disbelievers and socializing with them entail great evils, including the possibility of imitating them, admiring their beliefs, or assuming their mannerisms by the naive and gullible Muslims. Muslims must be distinguished and independent in their own homeland, and they should not mix with followers of the other religions. Hence, the Jews, Christians, Magi, and other disbelievers must be driven out of the Arabian Peninsula, which is exclusively for the Muslims. The Arabs are the first nation to receive the message of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and their homeland is the place where revelation came down. Therefore, non-Muslims should never reside therein.

This Hadīth states that Allah, the Almighty, has ninety-nine names, and that whoever memorizes them all, believes in their meanings, and acts according to their implications, in matters other than those reserved exclusively for Allah, the Almighty, will enter Paradise. Making an oath by any of these names is permissible and binding. Consequently, one must offer expiation if he broke an oath sworn by one of the names of Allah, the Most Merciful and the Ever Merciful, or by one of His attributes such as His Face, Greatness, Grandeur, and Might.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likened Islam to a well-built structure based on five pillars that carry it and the rest of its characteristics complement the structure. First pillar: The two testimonies of faith; testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. These two testimonies constitute one pillar as they are both inseparable. The slave utters the two testimonies of faith acknowledging the oneness of Allah and His exclusive worthiness of worship apart from others, acting upon their requirements, believing in the message of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and following him. Second pillar: Establishing the prayer, which refers to the five obligatory prayers that are to be observed every day and night and they are: Fajr (morning), Zhuhr (noon), ‘Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), and ‘Ishā’ (night), along with observing their conditions, pillars, and obligatory acts. Third pillar: Giving the obligatory Zakah, which is an obligatory financial act of worship due on every type of property that has reached the limit prescribed by Shariah and it is to be given to those entitled to it. Fourth pillar: Performing Hajj, which is travelling to Makkah to perform the rituals as a means of worshipping Allah Almighty. Fifth pillar: Fasting Ramadān, which is abstaining from food, drink, and other invalidators from the break of dawn until sunset with the intention of worshipping Allah.

The two testimonies of faith are inseparable, i.e., none of them is valid without the other; hence, he considered them one pillar.

The two testimonies of faith are the core of the religion; hence, they are essential for the validity of any saying or deed.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commands that evil deeds - they are everything prohibited by Allah and His Messenger - should be changed, according to one's ability. So, if one sees some evil deed, he should change it with his hand, if he has the ability to do so. If he is unable to do this, then he should change it with his tongue, by forbidding the one who commits it, demonstrating its harm to him, and guiding him to goodness instead of that evil. If he is unable to fulfill this level, then he should change it with his heart, by disliking that evil deed and determining to change it if he has the ability. Changing evil deeds with the heart is the lowest level of faith in this regard.

This Hadīth is a key source in outlining the levels of changing evil deeds.

We are enjoined to adopt gradation in forbidding evil deeds, each according to his capacity and ability.

Forbidding evil deeds is a fundamental element in religion, and it does not cease to be due upon everyone. Rather, every Muslim is obligated in accordance with his ability.

Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is evil is one of the characteristics of faith, and faith increases and decreases.

For forbidding evil, it is required to know that the act in question is evil.

For changing something evil, it is required that this does not lead to greater evil.

Forbidding evil has certain etiquettes and requirements that should be learned by Muslims.

Forbidding evil needs a Shar‘i policy, knowledge, and insight.

The lack of disapproval of something evil within the heart is an indication of weak faith.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out the merit of entering Islam. He who embraces Islam and becomes a committed, sincere, and truthful Muslim will not be punished for the sins he committed during jāhiliyyah. In contrast, he who does wrong after entering Islam, by being a hypocrite or renouncing Islam, will be punished for what he did both during his period of disbelief and after entering Islam.

The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were concerned and fearful about the deeds they committed during jāhiliyyah.

We are urged to hold fast to Islam.

The Hadīth points out the merit of entering Islam and that it expiates the previous sins.

Apostates and hypocrites will be punished for all the deeds they committed during jāhiliyyah and for all the sins they perpetrated after entering Islam.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that if a person performs the five obligatory prayers and does not offer supererogatory ones, fasts Ramadan and does not observe voluntary fasting, and regards the lawful as lawful and acts upon it and regards the unlawful as unlawful and avoids it, he will enter Paradise.

A Muslim should be keen on performing obligations and avoiding prohibited things, and his goal should be entering Paradise.

The Hadīth highlights the significance of doing what is lawful and regarding it as lawful and avoiding what is unlawful and regarding it as unlawful.

Fulfilling obligations and avoiding the prohibitions is a means leading to Paradise.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that outward purification is attained by ablution and washing up, and it is required for prayer. And saying "al-hamdulillāh" fills the Scale. This is to praise Allah and ascribe the attributes of perfection to Him. This will be weighed on the Day of Judgment and fill the Scale of deeds. Saying "subhān Allah wa al-hamdulillāh" - which exalts Allah far above all deficiencies and ascribes to Him the complete perfection that befits His majesty, along with loving and extolling Him - fills what is between the heavens and the earth. "Prayer is light" for a person within his heart, on his face, in his grave, and on the Day of Judgment. "Charity is proof" and evidence for the sincerity of a believer's faith and it sets him apart from the hypocrite, who refrains from giving charity because he does not believe in the reward promised in return for it. "Patience is radiance," by refraining from exasperation and indignation, is radiance, which is light that comes with heat and burning, like the light of the sun. This is because patience is difficult and requires self-struggle and restraining oneself from one's desires. So, a patient person continues to have light and adhere to guidance and the right path. Patience is shown in observing Allah's commands, avoiding His prohibitions, and enduring afflictions and different forms of hardships in this world. And "the Qur’an is proof either for you," by reciting and acting upon it, or "against you," for abandoning it, without application or recitation. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that all people work and go about, and they get up from their sleep and go out for their different activities. Some of them hold onto obedience to Allah and thus save themselves from Hellfire. And some others deviate from that and commit sins, which ruin them by leading them to Hellfire.

Purity is of two kinds: outward purity, which is attained by ablution and washing up, and inward purity, which is attained by Tawhīd (monotheism), faith, and righteous deeds.

It points out the significance of observing the prayer, as it is light for people in this world and on the Day of Judgment.

Charity is evidence of the sincerity of faith.

It is important for a person to act upon the Qur’an and believe in it, so that it will be proof for him, not against him.

If a person does not preoccupy himself with worship, he will preoccupy it with sin.

Everyone must work, and one either saves his soul with obedience to Allah or destroys it with sins.

Patience needs endurance and the pursuit of Allah's reward, and it involves hardship.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reports that there will soon come a time in which some type of people will be sitting, with one of them reclining on his couch, and when a Hadīth from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reaches him, he will say: What decides the matters between you and us is the noble Qur’an. It is sufficient for us. What we find therein as lawful, we act upon it, and what we find therein as unlawful, we avoid it. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that anything he prohibited or forbade in his Sunnah is the same as what Allah prohibited in His Book, for he only conveys from his Lord.

The Sunnah should be highly valued and observed like the Qur’an.

Obedience to the Messenger is obedience to Allah Almighty and disobeying him is disobedience to Allah.

It establishes the authority of the Sunnah and responds to those who reject the Sunnah or deny it.

Whoever turns away from the Sunnah and claims that he only adheres to the Qur’an does actually turn away from both of them, and his claim about following the Qur’an is false.

This is one of the proofs of the Prophet's prophethood, as he informed about certain things that would happen in the future, and it did happen as he informed.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentions the right of Allah upon His servants and the right of His servants upon Him and demonstrates that Allah's right upon His servants is that they should worship Him alone and associate no partners with Him, and that the right of the servants upon Allah is that He should not punish those who believe in His Oneness and associate nothing with Him. Then, Mu‘ādh said: O Messenger of Allah, should I inform the people so that they rejoice at this merit? But the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him not to inform them, lest they would depend on this matter solely.

The Hadīth demonstrates the right of Allah Almighty which He ordained upon His servants: that they should worship Him and associate no partners with Him.

It demonstrates the right of the servants upon Allah Almighty which He ordained upon Himself, out of His grace and bounty: that He should admit them into Paradise and not punish them.

This Hadīth offers great news for those who believe in Allah's Oneness and associate nothing with Him that their destination will be Paradise.

Mu‘ādh related this Hadīth before his death, fearing he might fall into sin for concealing knowledge.

It indicates that some Hadīths should not be related among some people for fear of those of them who cannot understand their meanings, provided that the Hadīths do not pertain to certain Shar‘i acts or legal punishments.

Muslim sinners are subject to Allah's will: if He wills, He may punish them; and if He wills, He may forgive them. Then, they will end up in Paradise.

A man asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the two traits: one that makes entering Paradise due, and one that makes entering Hellfire due. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that the trait that makes entering Paradise due is that a person should die while worshiping Allah alone and associating nothing with Him; and the trait that makes entering Hellfire due is that a person should die while associating anything with Allah, by ascribing to Him a partner or equal in His divinity or lordship or His names and attributes.

It points out the merit of monotheistic belief and that, whoever dies as a believer, not associating anything with Allah, that person will enter Paradise.

It demonstrates the graveness of polytheism and that whoever dies while associating anything with Allah will enter Hellfire.

Muslim sinners are subject to Allah's will: if He wills, He may punish them; and if He wills, He may forgive them. Then, they will end up in Paradise.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reported about ‘Abdullah ibn Jud‘ān, one of the chiefs of Quraysh before Islam. His good deeds include that he used to uphold kinship ties, feed the poor, and do other noble acts commended by Islam. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that these deeds will not benefit him in the Hereafter because of his disbelief in Allah and the fact that he did not ever say: My Lord, forgive my sins on the Day of Judgment.

The Hadīth points out the merit of belief and that it is a requirement for accepting people's good deeds.

It shows the evil impact of disbelief and that it renders virtuous deeds worthless.

The good deeds of the disbelievers will not avail them in the Hereafter due to their lack of belief in Allah and the Last Day.

The honorable deeds of a disbeliever will be recorded for him if he embraces Islam, and he will be rewarded for them.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the Fajr prayer in Al-Hudaybiyah, a village close to Makkah, after rainfall at night. After he made taslīm and finished the prayer, he turned towards the people and asked them: Do you know what your Almighty Lord has said? They replied: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: Allah Almighty clarified that people fall under two categories upon rainfall: believers in Allah Almighty and disbelievers in Him. Those who say, "We have had rainfall out of Allah's bounty and mercy," ascribing the rainfall to Allah, are believers in Allah, the Creator, and the Disposer of the affairs of the universe, and they disbelieve in the stars. And those who say, "We have had rainfall due to such and such star," are disbelievers in Allah and believers in the stars. But this is minor disbelief, as they attribute rainfall to a star, while Allah did not make it a cause of rainfall, neither in terms of the Shariah nor in terms of destiny. But as for those who ascribe rainfall and other earthly occurrences to the rise and decline of the stars, believing that they are the actual doer, they have fallen into major disbelief.

It is recommended to say after rainfall: We have had rainfall out of the grace and mercy of Allah.

Those who attribute the blessing of rainfall and other things to the stars, believing that they create and bring them into existence, fall into major disbelief. But as for those who attribute rainfall to the stars in believing that they are a mere cause, they fall into minor disbelief, because the stars are not a Shar‘i or material cause for rainfall.

A blessing can be a cause of disbelief if it is denied or a cause of belief if recognized.

We are forbidden from saying "We have had rainfall due to such and such star," even if it refers to time, to block the means to polytheism.

Our hearts should be attached to Allah Almighty regarding bringing blessings and warding off afflictions.

A group of the Prophet's Companions came and asked him about thoughts that came to their minds, and they found it too grave to utter them due to their ugliness and repulsiveness. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: This which you experienced is the clear faith and certitude that prompts you to stave off what Satan throws into your hearts and to refrain from uttering it because you consider it to be too serious. As such, Satan could not dominate your hearts, unlike others whose hearts have been overcome by Satan, and he faces no pushback and resistance from them.

The Hadīth highlights the weakness of Satan towards the believers, as he is unable to do anything except a whisper.

We should not believe or accept the bad thoughts coming to our minds, for these are whisperings from Satan.

Satan's whisperings do not harm the believer; however, he should seek refuge with Allah from his whisperings and desist from going too far with them.

A Muslim should not remain silent about things confusing to him regarding his religion. He should ask about them.

A man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, one of us may experience such thoughts that confuse him, but talking about them is grave, to the extent that he would prefer to turn into charcoal rather than speak about them. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaimed Allah's greatness twice and praised Allah for reducing Satan's plotting to mere whispering.

The Hadīth demonstrates that Satan lies in wait for the believers, whispering to them in an attempt to turn them from belief to disbelief.

It highlights the weakness of Satan towards the believers, as he is unable to do anything but whisper.

A believer should turn away from the whisperings of Satan and repel them.

It is legitimate to proclaim Allah's greatness upon experiencing something pleasant, amazing, or the like.

It is legitimate for a Muslim to ask a scholar about all that he finds confusing.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) mentions the effective remedy for the questions whispered by Satan to the believer. Satan says: Who created such and such, and who created such and such? Who created the heavens? Who created the earth? Based on his religion, natural disposition, and reason, the believer replies: Allah. But Satan does not stop at this limit of whisperings; rather, he proceeds until he asks: Who created your Lord? Thereupon, the believer should repel these whisperings with three things: Belief in Allah. Seeking refuge with Allah from Satan. Stopping to continue with such whisperings.

We should turn away from Satan's whisperings and insinuations and not give thought to them, and seek Allah's help in getting rid of them.

All the whisperings that enter a person's heart and contradict the Shariah come from Satan.

We are forbidden from thinking about Allah's Essence and are urged to ponder His creation and signs.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrates the great favor of Allah towards the believers and His justice towards the disbelievers. As for the believer, He does not diminish the reward of any good deed he performs. Rather, He gives him a reward for it in this world in return for his obedience, in addition to the reward He keeps in store for him in the Hereafter. He may also keep the whole reward for him in the Hereafter. As for the disbeliever, Allah gives him the reward for his virtuous deeds in the form of good things in this life. But when he goes to the Hereafter, he will have no reward. This is because the good deed that brings benefit in this world and in the Hereafter must be performed by a believer.

If a person dies as a disbeliever, his good deeds will not avail him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that if a disbeliever embraces Islam, he gets rewarded for the good deeds he used to perform in Jāhiliyyah, before becoming Muslim, like charity, manumission of slaves, and upholding of kinship ties.

The good deeds of a disbeliever will not be rewarded in the Hereafter if he dies as a disbeliever.

Sufyān ibn ‘Abdullah, the Prophet's Companion, (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to teach him a comprehensive statement that comprises all the meanings of Islam so as to adhere to it and ask no one else about it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Say: I believe in Allah as the only deity, and I believe that He is my Lord, my God, my Creator, and the only God Who is truly worthy of my worship, with no partner. Then, submit to Allah and obey Him by performing what He has enjoined, avoiding what He has forbidden, and remaining steadfast on that.

The essence of the religion is to believe in Allah, His Lordship, His Worship, and His Names and Attributes.

The importance of being upright after Imān (faith), persistence in worship, and steadfastness.

Imān is a condition for the acceptance of deeds.

Belief in Allah includes the beliefs and basic principles of Imān that must be adopted and the subsequent acts of the heart along with compliance and submission to Allah inwardly and outwardly.

Uprightness is adherence to the straight path by carrying out the duties and avoiding the prohibitions.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated the condition of the hypocrite and likened him to a hesitant ewe that does not know which one of the two flocks of sheep it should follow. It goes to one flock one time and to the other flock another time. Hypocrites are confused between belief and disbelief. They are not with the believers inwardly and outwardly, neither are they with the disbelievers inwardly and outwardly. Rather, they are outwardly with the believers and inwardly in doubt and hesitation. They incline to the believers at times and to the disbelievers at other times.

It was the Prophet's (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) approach to provide parables to make meanings clear and easy to understand.

The Hadīth highlights the hypocrites' hesitancy, doubt, and instability.

It warns of the condition of the hypocrites and urges us to be truthful and determined in faith, both inwardly and outwardly.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that faith wears out and weakens in the Muslim's heart as new clothing is worn out with long use. This stems from lethargy in worship or the commission of sins and indulgence in desires. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) instructed us to supplicate to Allah Almighty to renew our faith by performing our obligations and frequently remembering Him and asking Him for forgiveness.

The Hadīth urges us to ask Allah Almighty for steadfastness and renewal of faith in our hearts.

Faith comprises words, deeds, and beliefs, and it increases by good deeds and decreases by sins.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that among the portents of the Hour approaching is that Shar‘i knowledge will be taken away through the death of scholars. As a result, ignorance will increase and spread, adultery and immorality will be common, drinking alcohol will prevail, and men will decrease in number while women will increase so much that for fifty women there will be one man to take care of their affairs and interests.

The Hadīth demonstrates some portents of the Hour.

Knowledge of the time of the Hour is one of the unseen things Allah Almighty kept to Himself.

We are urged to learn Shar‘i knowledge before it is lost.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that the Hour will not be established until a man passes by the grave of another and wishes that he were in his place, dead, because of his fear of losing his religion, given the predominance of falsehood and its people, and the prevalence of trials, sins, and wrongdoings.

Referring to the prevalence of sins and trials at the end of time.

Urging Muslims to be on their guard and to get ready for death by means of faith and righteous deeds, and to keep away from the areas of trials and afflictions.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reported that the Hour will not occur until the Muslims and the Jews fight each other - until when a Jew flees to hide behind a stone from the Muslims, Allah will make the stone speak and it will call out to the Muslim that there is a Jew behind it, so that he will go and kill him.

The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) reported about some future and unseen things, as revealed to him by Allah Almighty - and they will surely take place.

The Muslims and the Jews will fight each other at the end of time, and this is one of the portents of the Hour.

Islam will endure until the Day of Judgment and prevail over all other religions.

Allah Almighty supports the Muslims against their enemy, and part of this support is that He will make the stones speak at the end of time.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swears to the imminence of the descent of Jesus, son of Mary, (peace be upon him) to judge between people with justice in compliance with Muhammad's Shariah. He will break the cross that is glorified by the Christians. Jesus (peace be upon him) will also kill the pig. He (peace be upon him) will abolish Jizyah and urge all people to embrace Islam. Moreover, wealth will overflow and no one will accept it given its abundance and the fact that everyone will find sufficiency in what he already has, in addition to the descent of blessings and the succession of good things.

Establishing the descent of Jesus (peace be upon him) at the end of time, which is one of the signs of the Hour.

The Prophet's Shariah is not to be abrogated by any other.

The descent of blessings on wealth at the end of time and people's abstention from it.

Bearing glad tidings that the Islamic religion will last and Jesus (peace be upon him) will rule by its Shariah at the end of time.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reports that among the major portents of the Hour is that the sun will rise from the west instead of the east, and when people see it, they will all believe. At that point, the belief of a disbeliever will not benefit him, nor will the righteous deeds or repentance be of any avail. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the Hour will come so abruptly that people will be busy with their life affairs. So, the Hour will come when a buyer and a seller have spread out a garment between them, but they cannot finish their transaction or fold up the garment. And the Hour will come when a man has taken milk from his she-camel but will not be able to drink it. And the Hour will come when a man is repairing his tank, but he will not be able to water his livestock therefrom. And the Hour will come when a man has lifted a morsel to his mouth but will not be able to eat it.

Embracing Islam and repenting are accepted so long as the sun has not risen from the West.

We are urged to get prepared for the Hour by belief and righteous deeds, for the Hour will come abruptly.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that one of the signs of the Hour is the shortening of time. So, a year passes like a month, a month passes like a week, a week passes like a day, a day passes like one hour, and an hour passes so quickly like the burning of Sa‘afah, which is a palm leaf.

Taking blessing away from time or its rapid passage is from the signs of the Hour.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that on the Day of Judgment, Allah Almighty will grab the earth and fold it, and will roll up the heavens with His right Hand and wrap them above each other and exterminate them. Then, He will say: I am the King, where are the kings of the earth?!

A reminder that Allah's dominion is everlasting whereas the dominion of others is transient.

The majesty of Allah, the greatness of His omnipotence and power, and the perfection of His sovereignty.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reported that he will have a Cistern on the Day of Judgment whose length takes a month's journey to cross, and so does its breadth; its water is whiter than milk; its smell is more pleasant than the smell of musk; and its drinking cups are as numerous as the stars of the sky. Whoever drinks from that Cistern using these cups will never become thirsty.

The Prophet's Cistern is a huge body of water to which the believers from his Ummah will come on the Day of Judgment.

Whoever drinks from the Cistern will be in bliss, and so he will never go thirsty.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that he will be at his Cistern on the Day of Judgment to see those among his Ummah who will come to it. Some people will be held back close to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who will say: My Lord, they belong to me and my Ummah. It will be said: Do you know what they did after you left them? By Allah, they quickly turned back upon their heels and abandoned their religion. So, they do not belong to you or to your Ummah.

The Hadīth shows the Prophet's mercy toward his Ummah and his care for them.

It points out the danger of departing from the Prophet's course.

It urges us to hold onto the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swore that the vessels of his Cistern on the Day of Judgment will outnumber the stars and planets of the sky. This appears on a dark moonless night, for stars are not obvious on moonlit nights, as they fade due to the light of the moon, and on cloudless nights, for clouds obstruct the visibility of the stars. And whoever drinks from the vessels of Paradise will never become thirsty again, and this will be the last time he experiences thirst. And two spouts from Paradise will flow in his Cistern, whose breadth is like its length. The Cistern is equilateral. It is as wide as the distance between Ammān, a town in Balqa’, in the Levant, and Aylah, a well-known city on the outskirts of the Levant. The water of the Cistern is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey.

The Hadīth establishes the existence of the Cistern and describes the types of bliss it will contain.

It points out the vastness of the Cistern and its length, breadth, and abundant vessels.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reported that Allah will select a man from his Ummah before all the creation on the Day of Judgment. He will be summoned for reckoning. Ninety-nine scrolls, the records of his bad deeds which he did in worldly life will be presented to him, with each scroll being as long as the eye can see. Then, Allah Almighty will say to this the person: Do you deny any of what is written in these scrolls? Have My scribe angels wronged you? The person will say: No, O Lord. Then, Allah Almighty will say: Do you have an excuse that may be accepted regarding the deeds you did in worldly life, like doing them out of forgetfulness or ignorance or by mistake? The man will say: No, Lord, I have no excuse. Allah Almighty will say: Rather, you have a good deed with us, and you will not be wronged today. He said: He will bring out a card, in which it is written, I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Then, Allah Almighty will say to this man: Bring your scale. The man will say in wonder: O Lord, what weight can this card have next to these scrolls?! Allah Almighty will say: You will not be subject to injustice. He said: The scrolls will be put on one pan, and the card on the other pan. The pan of the scrolls will be light, and the pan of the card will be heavier, so Allah will forgive him.

It shows the immense value of the testimony of faith "there is no god but Allah" and how it is heavy on the Scale.

It is not sufficient to merely say "There is no god but Allah" by the tongue; rather, one should know its meaning and act according to it.

Sincerity and strong monotheistic belief are a means for expiating sins.

Faith varies in level in accordance with the varying degrees of sincerity in people's hearts. Some people may utter this testimony, yet they will be punished in proportion to their sins.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reported that when Allah created Paradise and Hellfire, He said to Jibrīl (peace be upon him): Go to Paradise and look at it. He went, looked at it, and returned. Jibrīl said: O Lord, by Your Honor, none will hear about it and the bliss, bounty, and pleasant things therein except that he will love to enter it and exert effort for that purpose. Then, Allah surrounded Paradise with hardships and difficulties, involving the fulfillment of commands and the avoidance of prohibitions. So, whoever wants to enter it should go through these hardships. Then, Allah Almighty said: O Jibrīl, go and look at Paradise - after He had surrounded it with hardships. He went and looked at it. Then, he returned and said: O Lord, by Your Honor, I fear that no one will enter it due to the difficulties and hardships that lie on the path to it. And when Allah created Hellfire, He said: O Jibrīl, go and look at it. He went and looked at it. Then, Jibrīl returned and said: O Lord, by Your Honor, none will hear about the punishment, torments, and torture contained therein except that he will hate to enter it and will keep away from the means leading to it. Then, Allah Almighty surrounded Hellfire with desires and pleasures and made them lie on the path to it. Then, He said: O Jibrīl, go and look at it. Jibrīl went, looked at it, then came back, and said: O Lord, by Your Honor, I am fearful and apprehensive that no one will be saved from it - due to the desires and pleasures around it.

Believing that Paradise and Hellfire exist now.

It is obligatory to believe in the unseen and all that is said by Allah and His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

Patience over hardships is necessary, for these are the means leading to Paradise.

Avoiding the prohibitions is necessary, for they are the means leading to Hellfire.

Surrounding Paradise with hardships and Hellfire with desires are the objects of trial and test in the life of this world.

The path to Paradise is hard and arduous, and it requires patience and struggle along with faith. And the path to Hellfire abounds with worldly pleasures and desires.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that death will be brought on the Day of Judgment in the shape of a sheep that is black and white in color. Then, it will be called out: O people of Paradise! They will stretch their necks, raise their heads, and look. He will say to them: Do you know this? They will reply: Yes, this is death. All of them will have seen and known it. Then, the caller will call out: O people of Hellfire! They will stretch their necks, raise their heads, and look. He will say: Do you know this? They will reply: Yes, this is death. All of them will have seen it. Then, it will be slaughtered, and the caller will say: O people of Paradise, eternity, and no death; O people of Hellfire, eternity, and no death. This will add to the bliss of the believers and the punishment of the disbelievers. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited: {Warn them of the Day of Remorse when all matters will be decided, but they are heedless.} On the Day of Judgment, the people of Paradise will be separated from the people of Hellfire, and each will enter the place where they will stay forever. So, the wrongdoer will feel sorrowful and regretful that he did not do good, and the one who fell short in doing good will regret that he did not do better.

People's destination in the Hereafter will be eternity in Paradise or Hellfire.

The Hadīth gives a stern warning about the horror of the Day of Judgment and that it will be a day of sorrow and regret.

It demonstrates that the dwellers of Paradise will be in permanent pleasure, while the dwellers of Hellfire will be in permanent grief.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reports that the fire of this world is a one-seventieth part of the fire of Hell. The heat of the fire of the hereafter is greater than the heat of the fire of this world by sixty-nine parts, each of which is equivalent to the heat of the worldly fire. It was said: O Messenger of Allah, the fire of this world would have been enough for punishing those who enter it. In response, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: The fire of Hell is more intense than the fire of this world by sixty-nine parts, with each part being equivalent to its heat.

The Hadīth warns of Hellfire so that people may keep away from the deeds leading to it.

It shows the magnitude of Hellfire and its punishment and severe heat.

Ibn Mas‘ūd reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) related to us, and he is the truthful one in his speech, and the trusted one, as Allah Almighty endorsed him. He said: The creation of each one of you is brought together. When a man copulates with his wife, his scattered semen is brought together in the woman's womb as a sperm-drop for forty days. Then, he becomes a clinging clot for another forty days. Then, he becomes a lump, which is a piece of chewable flesh, for a third period of forty days. Then, Allah sends to him the angel, who breathes life into him after the end of the third period. The angel is commanded to write four things: his sustenance, which is the amount of bliss he will gain during his lifetime; his lifespan, which is the duration of his stay in this world; and his deeds, as to what they will be; and whether he will be miserable or happy. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swore that a person might perform the righteous deeds of the people of Paradise, as they outwardly seem, and he continues in this state until there is only an arm's length (a cubit) between him and Paradise; that is, only a cubit separates him from reaching Paradise. But then destiny overtakes him, and thereupon he performs the deeds of the people of Hellfire, and they become his last deeds, and so he enters Hellfire. This is because it is required for a person's virtuous deeds to be accepted and that he continues to do them and not change course. There is another type of people, who perform the deeds of the people of Hellfire until they are close to entering it, as if only a cubit is separating between them. But then destiny overtakes them, and they begin to perform the deeds of Paradise, and they enter it.

The outcome of things goes in the course determined by divine decree and predestination.

The Hadīth warns us of getting deceived by the appearance of deeds, for deeds are only judged by their endings.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that Allah decreed the future destinies of the creatures in detail, including life, death, sustenance, and so on in the Preserved Tablet fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth - and these will take place according to Allah's decree. Everything that comes into being, is so according to Allah's decree and predestination. So, whatever befalls a person would not have missed him, and whatever misses him would not have befallen him.

It is obligatory to believe in the divine decree and predestination.

Predestination refers to Allah's knowledge of things and that He writes down, wills, and creates them.

The belief that destinies were written before the creation of the heavens and the earth yields contentment and submission.

The Throne of the Most Compassionate was above the water before creating the heavens and the earth.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that everything is decreed, even incapacity, which is failure to do what should be done - in matters of this world and the Hereafter - and procrastinating and delaying it beyond its due time; and even capacity, which is vigor and proficiency in matters of worldly life and the Hereafter; and that Allah Almighty had predestined capacity and incapacity, and everything that happens in the universe had already been known and willed by Allah.

The Hadīth demonstrates the Companions' belief in predestination.

Everything happens by Allah's predestination, even people's incapacity and vigor.

The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were cautious and meticulous in conveying the Prophet's Hadīths.

We should believe in all predestination, including its pleasant and unpleasant aspects.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) relates that if Allah decrees and predestines that someone should die in a certain land where he does not exist, He makes a reason for him to go there, and so he goes and dies there.

The Hadīth confirms the verse that reads: {nor does any soul know in which land it will die.}

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: As the Companions were sitting with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the mosque, a man riding a camel entered, and he made the camel kneel and tied it. Then, he asked them: Who amongst you is Muhammad? Meanwhile, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was reclining among the people. So, we replied: This white man who is reclining. The man said to him: O son of ‘Abdul-Muttalib! The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: I have heard you; ask, and I will answer you. The man said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): I will ask you about something and will be hard in questioning. So do not get upset with me. In other words, do not get angry at me or feel annoyed. He replied: Ask whatever you want. He said: I ask you by your Lord and the Lord of those who came before you. Has Allah sent you as a messenger to mankind? He replied: "By Allah, yes," affirming his truthfulness. The man further said: I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you that we must offer the five prayers in a day and night? They are the obligatory prayers. He replied: By Allah, yes. The man further said: I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you to observe fasts during this month of the year? That's the month of Ramadan. He replied: By Allah, yes. The man said: I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you to take this charity from our rich people and distribute it amongst our poor people?" This is Zakah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied: By Allah, yes. Thereupon, Dimām embraced Islam and informed the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that he would call his people to Islam, and he introduced himself as Dimām ibn Tha‘labah, from Banu Sa‘d ibn Bakr.

The Hadīth shows the Prophet's modesty, as the man could not distinguish between him and his Companions.

It highlights the Prophet's good character and gentleness in replying to the questioner. It also indicates that providing good responses is one of the reasons behind accepting the call to Islam.

It is permissible to identify a person by a certain trait, like being white, reddish, tall, short, and any other trait that is not intended as a defect, unless the person dislikes it.

It is permissible for a disbeliever to enter the mosque for some need.

He did not mention Hajj in the Hadīth because it had probably not been prescribed yet when this man came.

The Companions were keen on inviting people to Islam. Once this man embraced Islam, he was determined to call his people to it.

As the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting among his Companions, he said: This is the time at which knowledge will disappear and be taken away from people. Thereupon, Ziyād ibn Labīd al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) wondered and asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): How will knowledge be taken away from us and we lose it, whereas we recite and memorize the Qur’an?! By Allah, we will recite it and make our women and children and our children's children recite it. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in wonder: May your mother be bereaved of you, O Ziyād! I considered you to be among the knowledgeable people of Madīnah. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that knowledge will not be lost by the loss of the Qur’an, but knowledge will be lost by the loss of acting upon it. A case in point is the Jews and the Christians, who have the Torah and the Gospel, yet they did not derive benefit from them or their objective, namely acting upon what they have learned.

Having copies of the Qur’an and books in people's hands is of no avail unless they are acted upon.

Knowledge is taken away by several things, including the death of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), the death of the scholars, and the failure to act upon the knowledge.

One of the portents of the Hour is the disappearance of knowledge and failure to act upon it.

The Hadīth urges us to act upon knowledge, for this is the main objective.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned his Ummah not to get deceived by what the People of the Book report in their books. The Jews, during the Prophet's lifetime, used to read the Torah in Hebrew, the language of the Jews, and expound on it in Arabic. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Neither believe nor disbelieve the People of the Book. This applies to things that are not known to be true or false. In fact, Allah Almighty commanded us to believe in the Qur’an revealed to us and the Book revealed to them. But there is no way in which we can know whether what they relate to us from these books is true or false, unless our Shariah clarifies whether it is true or false. Hence, we should stop, neither believing them, lest we may become their partners in what they distorted, nor disbelieving them, lest their statement may be right, and thus we will be denying what we were commanded to believe in. And Allah Almighty commanded the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that we should say: {We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us; and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants [of Jacob]; and what was given to Moses and Jesus; and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 136]

What the People of the Book relate falls under three categories: what is consistent with the Qur’an and the Sunnah - it must be believed; what contradicts the Qur’an and the Sunnah - this is false and must be denied; and what is not established in the Qur’an or the Sunnah to be true or false - this is to be narrated and should not be believed or denied.

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that revelation was sent down to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his prophetic mission began at the age of forty, and he stayed in Makkah for 13 years after the revelation. Thereafter, he was commanded to immigrate to Madīnah, where he stayed for 10 years. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away at the age of sixty-three.

The Hadīth shows the Companions' interest in the Prophet's biography.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered an eloquent sermon that filled the Companions' hearts with fear and filled their eyes with tears. They said: O Messenger of Allah, it seems as if it is an admonition by one who will soon leave us - seeing his earnest effort in doing so. Hence, they asked him to give them advice that they would hold onto after him. He said: I advise you to fear Allah Almighty by carrying out duties and avoiding prohibitions. And to hear and obey, i.e., hear and obey the rulers, even if your ruler or the one who seized authority over you is a slave. In other words, if the most inferior among people became your ruler, you should not disdain to obey him, out of fear of turbulence and strife, for whoever lives from you after me will see a great discord. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that the way out of this discord is by adhering firmly to his Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs after him, namely Abu Bakr as-Siddīq, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān, and ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with them all), and by biting onto it with the molar teeth, i.e., by strictly observing and holding fast to the Sunnah. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) also warned them against the newly introduced matters in religion, as every religious innovation is a misguidance.

The importance of following and adhering to the Sunnah.

Attention should be given to admonitions and softening of hearts.

The commandment to follow the four rightly guided Caliphs, namely Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān, and ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with them all), after the Prophet.

The prohibition of introducing new things into the religion, and the fact that all religious innovations are misguidance.

Hearing and obeying whoever is in charge of the believers without disobeying Allah.

The importance of fearing Allah Almighty at all times and in all situations.

Discord will inevitably occur in this Ummah and when it occurs, Muslims must refer and adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and to that of the rightly guided Caliphs.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the Jews are people who incurred Allah's wrath because they knew the truth but did not apply it. The Christians are people who went astray because they acted without knowledge.

Combining knowledge and action guarantees safety from the path of those who incurred Allah's wrath as well as those who went astray.

Warning against the path adopted by the Jews and Christians and calling to adhere to the straight path, which is Islam.

Both the Jews and the Christians have gone astray and have incurred Allah's wrath; however, incurring Allah's wrath is the Jews' most distinct characteristic, whereas the Christians' most distinct characteristic is their misguidance.