Once when I went at midday to visit God’s messenger he heard the voices of two men in disagreement about a verse coming out to us with obvious signs of anger on his face, he said, “It was just because of their disagreement about God’s Book that your predecessors perished.” Muslim transmitted it.

Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas reported God’s messenger as saying, “The Muslim who offends most against the Muslims is he who enquires about something which has not been forbidden to men, and it is declared forbidden because of his enquiry.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He also said that the people of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and expound it in Arabic to the Muslims, so God’s messenger said, “Neither believe nor disbelieve the people of the Book, but say, ‘We believe in God and what has been sent down to us... 1 ’”Bukhari transmitted it.1 Quran, ii, 136.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “It is enough falsehood for a man to relate everything he hears.” Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “Faith will shrink back to Medina as a snake shrinks back to its hole.”(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Sonny, if you can keep your heart morning and evening void of deceit towards anyone, do so.” Then he said, “Sonny, that pertains to my sunna. He who loves my sunna has loved me, and he who loves me will be with me in paradise.”Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “In the times in which you are living, anyone who abandons a tenth of what he is commanded will perish; but a time is coming when anyone who does a tenth of what he is commanded will be safe.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

what is permissible, what is prohibited, what is firmly fixed, what is obscure, and parables. So treat what is permissible as permissible and what is prohibited as prohibited, act upon what is firmly fixed; believe in what is obscure, and take a lesson from the parables.” This is the wording in Al-masabih. Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu’ab al-iman, his wording being, “Act according to what is permissible, avoid what is prohibited, and follow what is firmly fixed.”

Mu'adh b. Jabal reported God’s messenger as saying, “The devil is a wolf to man, like the wolf which harries sheep, catching the one which is solitary, the one which stays far from the flock, and the one which wanders. So avoid the branching paths and keep to the general community.” Ahmad transmitted it.

God’s Book and His messenger’s sunna” He transmitted it in Al-Muwatta.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “Some of my traditions abrogate others just as some parts of the Qur’an abrogate others.”Daraqutni transmitted it.

Abu Tha'laba al-Khushani reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has made certain things binding, so do not cause them to be lost; He has prohibited certain things, so do not violate them; He has fixed certain limits, so do not transgress them; and He, without being forgetful, has said nothing about certain things, so do not search into them.” Daraqutni transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “In the last days there will be lying dajjals who will bring you traditions of which neither you nor your fathers have heard, so beware of them. They will neither lead you astray nor seduce you.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “There was no prophet whom God raised up among his people before me who did not have from among his people apostles and companions who held to his sunna and followed what he commanded; then they were succeeded by people who said what they did not practise and did things they were not commanded to do. So he who strives against them with his hand is a believer, he who strives against them with his tongue is a believer, and he who strives against them with his heart is a believer. Beyond that there is not so much faith as a grain of mustard seed.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud told how God’s messenger drew a line for them and then said, “This is God’s path.” Thereafter he drew several lines on his right and left and said, “These are paths on each of which there is a devil who invites people to follow it.” And he recited, “And that this is my path, straight; follow it...” 1Ahmad, Nasa’I and Darimi transmitted it.1 Quran iv, 153.

Jabir told that when ‘Umar came to the Prophet saying, “We hear from Jews traditions which charm us, so do you think we should write down some of them ?” he replied, “Are you in a state of confusion as the Jews and the Christians were? I have brought them to you white and pure, and if Moses were alive he would feel it absolutely necessary to follow me.” Ahmad transmitted it, and also Baihaqi in Shu’ab al-iman.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone eats what is good, acts according to a sunna, and men are safe from injuries on his part, he will enter paradise.” A man said, “Messenger of God, to-day there are many such among the people to which he replied, “And there will also be such in generations after my time.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas declared that God’s messenger used to say, “Do not impose austerities on yourselves and so have God imposing austerities on you; for people have imposed austerities on themselves and God has imposed austerities on them. Their survivors are to be found in cells and monasteries.” [Then he quoted], “Monasticism, they invented it; we did not prescribe it for them.” 1Abu Dawud transmitted it.1 ibid, lvii, 27.

Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who separates himself a handbreadth from the community has cast off the rope of Islam from his neck.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ghudaif b. al-Harith ath-Thumali reported God’s messenger as saying, “No people introduce an innovation without its equivalent being withdrawn from the sunna; so holding firmly to a sunna is better than introducing an innovation.” Ahmad transmitted it.