Abu Huraira reported that God’s messenger said, “The Muslim is he from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe; and the believer is he whom men trust with their lives and their property.” 'Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it; and Baihaqi added in Shu'ab al-iman by the transmission of Fadala, “And the mujahid is he who strives with himself regarding obedience to God, and the muhajir is he who abandons transgressions and sins.
The Essence of Muslim Character
This noble hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) defines the fundamental characteristics of a true Muslim and believer. The first part establishes that a Muslim is one whose tongue and hand cause no harm to fellow Muslims - meaning both speech and actions must be free from injury, slander, and oppression.
The second portion elevates the definition to "believer" (mu'min), who is entrusted by people with their lives and property. This indicates a higher level of trustworthiness and reliability that becomes manifest to others through consistent righteous conduct.
Spiritual Striving and Migration
The addition transmitted by Baihaqi in Shu'ab al-iman through Fadala expands upon two crucial Islamic concepts: jihad and hijrah. The true mujahid is defined as one who struggles against their own soul in obedience to Allah - this is the greater jihad (al-jihad al-akbar).
The authentic muhajir is identified as one who abandons all that Allah has prohibited, migrating from disobedience to obedience. This spiritual hijrah is continuous and essential for every believer, regardless of physical location.
Practical Implications
This teaching emphasizes that Islam is not merely ritual worship but encompasses comprehensive social responsibility. Protecting others from harm through both speech and action is the baseline of Islamic practice.
The hadith establishes a hierarchy of spiritual development: from basic safety (Muslim) to trusted stewardship (believer) to internal struggle (mujahid) and complete abandonment of sin (muhajir). Each believer should aspire to progress through these stages.