The Book of the Sunnah

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah reported to us: Yazid ibn Harun reported to us: Hammad ibn Salamah informed us, from Ya‘la ibn Ata, from Waki ibn Hudus, from his paternal uncle Abu Razin, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Our Lord laughed at His servants’ despair, though His relief was near.’ I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, does the Lord laugh?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘We will never lack good from a Lord who laughs.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah and Muhammad ibn al-Sabbah reported to us; they said: Yazid ibn Harun reported to us: Hammad ibn Salamah informed us, from Ya‘la ibn Ata, from Waki ibn Hudus, from his paternal uncle Abu Razin, who said: I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, where was our Lord before He created His creation?’ He replied, ‘He was in a cloud, with air beneath it and air above it; then He created the Throne upon the water.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Humayd ibn Masadah reported to us: Khalid ibn al-Harith reported to us: Said reported to us, from Qatadah, from Safwan ibn Muhriz al-Mazini, who said: While we were with Abdullah ibn Umar as he circumambulated the House, a man approached and asked him, ‘Ibn Umar, what did you hear the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) say privately?’ He replied: I heard the Messenger of Allah say, ‘On the Day of Resurrection, the believer will be brought near to his Lord, who will shelter him and make him acknowledge his sins. He will ask him, “Do you acknowledge them?” and he will say, “My Lord, I acknowledge them.” When Allah wills that the matter reach its appointed point, He will say, “I concealed them for you in the world, and today I forgive you for them.” Then he will be given the record of his good deeds—or his book—in his right hand. As for the unbeliever or hypocrite, his sins will be proclaimed before all the witnesses.’ Khalid said: At the words ‘before all the witnesses’ something is missing. Then he recited: ‘These are the ones who lied against their Lord. Surely, Allah’s curse is upon the wrongdoers.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Abi al-Shawarib reported to us: Abu Asim al-Abbadani reported to us: al-Fadl al-Raqashi reported to us, from Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, from Jabir ibn Abdullah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘While the people of Paradise are enjoying their bliss, a light will shine upon them and they will raise their heads. Their Lord will appear above them and say, “Peace be upon you, people of Paradise.”’ This is Allah’s saying, ‘Peace—a word from a Merciful Lord.’ He will look at them and they will look at Him, and they will pay no attention to any of the delights while they gaze at Him, until He veils Himself from them; His light and blessing will remain upon them in their homes.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ali ibn Muhammad reported to us: Waki reported to us, from al-Amash, from Khaythamah, from Adi ibn Hatim, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘There is none of you but his Lord will speak to him with no interpreter between them. He will look to his right and see only what he sent ahead; then he will look to his left and see only what he sent ahead. Then he will look before him, and the Fire will confront him. So whoever among you can guard himself from the Fire, even with half a date, let him do so.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Muhammad ibn Bashshar reported to us: Abu Abd al-Samad Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd al-Samad reported to us: Abu Imran al-Jawni reported to us, from Abu Bakr ibn Abdullah ibn Qays al-Ashari, from his father, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘There are two gardens of silver, their vessels and all that is in them, and two gardens of gold, their vessels and all that is in them. Between the people and their seeing their Lord, Blessed and Exalted, there is nothing but the veil of Majesty over His Face in the Garden of Eden.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abd al-Quddus ibn Muhammad reported to us: Hajjaj reported to us: Hammad reported to us, from Thabit al-Bunani, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla, from Suhayb, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) recited, ‘For those who do good is the best reward and more.’ He said, ‘When the people of Paradise have entered Paradise and the people of the Fire have entered the Fire, a caller will call: “People of Paradise, you have a promise from Allah that He wishes to fulfill for you.” They will say, “What is it? Has Allah not made our scales heavy, brightened our faces, admitted us to Paradise, and saved us from the Fire?” Then the veil will be lifted, and they will look at Him. By Allah, Allah will not have given them anything more beloved or more delightful to their eyes than looking at Him.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ali ibn Muhammad reported to us: Abu Muawiyah reported to us: al-Amash reported to us, from Tamim ibn Salamah, from Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, from Aishah, who said: Praise be to Allah, whose hearing encompasses all voices! The woman who disputed with the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) about her husband came to him while I was in a corner of the house, complaining about her husband. I could not hear what she was saying. Then Allah revealed, ‘Allah has indeed heard the words of the woman who argues with you concerning her husband.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Muhammad ibn Yahya reported to us: Safwan ibn Isa reported to us, from Ibn Ajlan, from his father, from Abu Hurairah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Before creating creation, your Lord wrote with His own hand for Himself: “My mercy precedes My wrath.”’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ibrahim ibn al-Mundhir al-Hizami and Yahya ibn Habib ibn Arabi reported to us; they said: Musa ibn Ibrahim ibn Kathir al-Ansari al-Harami reported to us: I heard Talhah ibn Khirash say: I heard Jabir ibn Abdullah say: When Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Haram was killed on the day of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) met me and said, ‘Jabir, shall I tell you what Allah said to your father?’ In Yahya’s version he said, ‘Jabir, why do I see you downcast?’ I replied, ‘Messenger of Allah, my father was martyred, leaving dependents and debt.’ He said, ‘Shall I give you glad tidings of what your father encountered with Allah?’ I said, ‘Yes, Messenger of Allah.’ He said, ‘Allah has never spoken to anyone except from behind a veil, but He spoke face-to-face with your father. He said, “My servant, ask Me and I will give you what you ask.” He replied, “My Lord, bring me back to life so I may be killed in Your cause a second time.” The Lord, Glorified is He, said, “It has already been decreed by Me that they will not return.” He said, “My Lord, then convey this to those I left behind.”’ Then Allah Most High revealed, ‘Do not think those who are killed in Allah’s way are dead; rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah reported to us: Waki reported to us, from Sufyan, from Abu al-Zinad, from al-Araj, from Abu Hurairah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Allah will fold up the earth on the Day of Resurrection and roll up the heavens in His right hand, then say, “I am the Sovereign. Where are the kings of the earth?”’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Harmalah ibn Yahya and Yunus ibn Abd al-Ala reported to us; they said: Abdullah ibn Wahb reported to us: Yunus informed me, from Ibn Shihab, from Said ibn al-Musayyab, that Abu Hurairah used to say: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Allah will grasp the earth on the Day of Resurrection and fold up the heavens in His right hand. Then He will say, “I am the King. Where are the kings of the earth?”’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Muhammad ibn Yahya reported to us: Muhammad ibn al-Sabbah reported to us: al-Walid ibn Abi Thawr al-Hamdani reported to us, from Simak, from Abdullah ibn Umayrah, from al-Ahnaf ibn Qays, from al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, who said: I was in al-Batha with a group that included the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace). A cloud passed over him and he looked at it, then asked, ‘What do you call this?’ They said, ‘Clouds.’ He said, ‘And rain clouds?’ They replied, ‘Rain clouds.’ He said, ‘And canopy clouds?’ Abu Bakr said: They replied, ‘Canopy clouds.’ He asked, ‘How far do you think it is from you to the heaven?’ They said, ‘We do not know.’ He said, ‘Between you and it is seventy-one, seventy-two, or seventy-three years. Above it is the same.’ He continued until he had counted seven heavens. ‘Above the seventh heaven is a sea, whose top and bottom are as far apart as one heaven is from another. Above that are eight mountain-like beings, whose hooves and knees are as far apart as one heaven is from another. Upon their backs is the Throne, whose top and bottom are as far apart as one heaven is from another. Then Allah, Blessed and Exalted, is above that.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Yaqub ibn Humayd ibn Kasib reported to us: Sufyan ibn Uyaynah reported to us, from Amr ibn Dinar, from Ikrimah, from Abu Hurairah, that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘When Allah decrees a matter in heaven, the angels beat their wings in submission to His word, as if it were a chain clattering upon a smooth stone. When fear is lifted from their hearts, they ask, “What did your Lord say?” They reply, “The truth; He is the Most High, the Most Great.” Then eavesdropping jinn, one above another, listen in. One hears a word and passes it to the one below him. Sometimes a shooting star strikes him before he can pass it on to the next, and he passes it to a soothsayer or sorcerer; sometimes he is not struck until after he has passed it on. The soothsayer adds a hundred lies to it, but that one word heard from heaven proves true.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ali ibn Muhammad reported to us: Abu Muawiyah reported to us, from al-Amash, from Amr ibn Murrah, from Abu Ubaydah, from Abu Musa, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) stood among us and spoke five statements. He said, ‘Allah does not sleep, nor is it fitting for Him to sleep. He lowers the balance and raises it. The deeds of the night are raised to Him before the deeds of the day, and the deeds of the day before the deeds of the night. His veil is light; if He were to remove it, the radiance of His Face would burn all of His creation as far as His sight reaches.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ali ibn Muhammad reported to us: Waki reported to us: al-Masudi reported to us, from Amr ibn Murrah, from Abu Ubaydah, from Abu Musa, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Allah does not sleep, nor is it fitting for Him to sleep. He lowers the balance and raises it. His veil is light; if He removed it, the radiance of His Face would burn everything His sight reaches.’ Then Abu Ubaydah recited, ‘Blessed is He who is in the Fire and whoever is around it; glory be to Allah, Lord of all worlds.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah reported to us: Yazid ibn Harun reported to us: Muhammad ibn Ishaq informed us, from Abu al-Zinad, from al-Araj, from Abu Hurairah, from the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), who said, ‘Allah’s right hand is full; nothing diminishes it, as He gives continuously by night and day. In His other hand is the balance: He raises equity and lowers it.’ He said, ‘Consider what He has spent since creating the heavens and the earth; it has not diminished what is in His hands at all.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Hisham ibn Ammar and Muhammad ibn al-Sabbah reported to us; they said: Abd al-Aziz ibn Abi Hazim reported to us: My father reported to me, from Ubaydullah ibn Miqsam, from Abdullah ibn Umar, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) say from the pulpit, ‘The Compeller will take the heavens and earth in His hand’—and he clenched his hand and opened and closed it—‘then say, “I am the Compeller! Where are the tyrants? Where are the arrogant?”’ Abdullah said: The Messenger of Allah swayed to his right and left, until I saw the pulpit moving beneath him, so much so that I thought, ‘Will it fall with the Messenger of Allah upon it?’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Hisham ibn Ammar reported to us: Sadaqah ibn Khalid reported to us: Ibn Jabir reported to us, who said: I heard Busr ibn Ubaydillah say: I heard Abu Idris al-Khawlani say: al-Nawwas ibn Sam‘an al-Kilabi told me: I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) say, ‘Every heart lies between two of the fingers of the All-Merciful; if He wills, He sets it upright, and if He wills, He causes it to deviate.’ The Messenger of Allah used to say, ‘O Stabilizer of hearts, make our hearts steadfast upon Your religion.’ He also said, ‘The balance is in the hand of the All-Merciful; He raises some peoples and lowers others until the Day of Resurrection.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Kurayb Muhammad ibn al-Ala reported to us: Abdullah ibn Ismail reported to us, from Mujalid, from Abu al-Waddak, from Abu Said al-Khudri, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Allah indeed smiles upon three: the person standing in a row for prayer, the man who prays in the depths of the night, and the man who fights—he thought, he said—behind the battalion.’