Ibn ‘Abbas said that if anyone learns God’s Book and follows its contents, he will be guided by God away from error in this world and be guarded by Him on the day of resurrection from the strictest account. A version renders him as saying that one who models his life on God’s Book will not go astray in this world, or be miserable in the next. Then he recited this verse, “He who follows my guidance will not go astray or be miserable.” 1Razin transmitted it.1 Quran xx, `123.

Ibn Mas'ud said, ‘If anyone follows someone’s custom let him follow the custom of one who is dead, for one cannot be sure of the living not being led astray. Those to follow are Muhammad’s Companions who were the most excellent among the people, purest in heart, most profound in knowledge, most unassuming, whom God chose for companionship with His Prophet and to establish His religion. So recognise their excellence, follow their traces, and hold as fast as you can to their character and way of life, for they followed right guidance.” Razin transmitted it.

God’s Prophet came to Medina when they were fecundating the palm trees. He asked, “What are you doing?” and they replied, “We have been accustomed to do it.” He said, “Perhaps if you did not do it it would be better so they gave it up, but the crop was diminished. They mentioned that to him and he said, “I am only a human being. When I issue any command to you regarding your religion, accept it; but when I issue any command to you based on my own opinion, I am merely a human being.” Muslim transmitted it.

God’s messenger recited, “He it is who has sent down to you the Book in which are fundamental verses” going on to “no one takes warning but those of insight.”1 She reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you (using the feminine singular pronoun whereas Muslim has the masculine plural) see those who study what is dubious in it, those are they whom God named, so be on your guard against them.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)1 Quran, iii, 7.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone summons others to follow right guidance, his reward will be equivalent to those of the people who follow him without their rewards being diminished in any respect on that account; and if anyone summons others to follow error the sin of which he is guilty will be equivalent to those of the people who follow him without their sins’ being diminished in any respect on that account.” Muslim transmitted it.

We shall mention the1 tradition from Abu Huraira, “Leave me as long as I have said nothing to you ...” in the book on the rites of the Pilgrimage, and the traditions of Mu'awiya and Jabir, “A section of this people will continue ...”2 in the chapter on the reward of this people, if God will.1 Book XI, Chap. I, first tradition.2 Page 1383. Only Mu’awiya’s tradition is given. The wording is slightly different.

A heavenly visitant came to God’s prophet, and he was told to let his eye sleep, his ear hear, and his heart understand. He said, “My eyes then slept, my ears heard, and my heart understood, and I was told that a lord built a house, prepared a feast, and sent one to issue invitations. Whoever responds to the one who invites him will enter the house, eat of the feast, and enjoy the lord’s favour; but whoever does not respond to the one who invites him will not enter the house, or eat of the feast, and he will incur the lord's anger.” He explained that God is the lord, Muhammad is the one who delivers the invitation, the house is Islam, and the feast is paradise. Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Rafi‘ reported God’s messenger as saying, “Let me not find one of you reclining on his couch when he hears something regard which I have commanded or forbidden and saying, ‘I do not know, we found in God’s Book we have followed.’ ” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, A Dawud, Ibn Majah, and Baihaqi (in Dala’il an-nubuwa) transmitted it.

Al-Irbad b. Sariya declared that God’s messenger got up and said, “Does any of you, while reclining on his couch, imagine that God has prohibited only what is to be found in the Qur’an? By God, I have commanded, exhorted and prohibited various matters as numerous as what is found in the Qur’an, or more numerous. God has not permitted you to enter the houses of the people of the Book without permission, or dishonour their women, or eat their fruits, when they give you what is imposed on them.” 11 The source from which this tradition comes is omitted. The editor of Damascus edition of the Mishkat notes that it comes from Abu Dawud. It is Abu Dawud Kitab al-kharaj wal imara wal fai’ bab 33.

Bilal b. Harith al-Muzani reported God’s messenger as saying, “Whoever revives a sunna of mine which has been neglected after my time will have a reward equal to the rewards of those who act upon it, without their rewards being diminished in any way. But whoever invents a misleading innovation with which God and His messenger are not pleased will be charged with a sin equal to the sins of those who act upon it without that diminishing their loads in any way.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it from Kathir b. ‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr from his father from his grandfather.

‘Amr b. ‘Auf reported God’s messenger as saying, “The religion will shrink back to the Hijaz as a snake shrinks back to its hole, and the religion will seek refuge in the Hijaz as the mountain goat seeks refuge in the mountain top. The religion began few in number and will return to the state in which it began. Blessed are the few, for they will set right the corruptions caused in my sunna by people after my death.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God's messenger as saying, “My people will experience what the B. Isra’il experienced, as closely as one sandal resembles another. If they had among them one who openly- had intercourse with his mother, among my people there will be one who does that. The B. Isra’il divided into 72 sects, but my people will divide into 73 sects, all of which but one will go to hell.” On being asked which it was, he replied, “It is the one to which I and my companions belong.” Tirmidhi transmitted it. A version by Ahmad and Abu Dawud from Mu'awiya has, “Seventy-two will be in hell and one in paradise, it being the community. And folk will come forth from among my people in whom those passions will run as does hydrophobia in one who suffers from it, permeating every vein and joint.”

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as Saying, “He who holds fast to my sunna when my people are in a corrupt state will have the reward of a hundred martyrs.” 11 The source is lacking. The editor of Damascus edition quotes Mirak Shah and others as saying Bayhaqi gives the tradition in his kitab az-Zuhd as coming from Ibn Abbas.

Abu Umama reported God’s messenger as saying, “No people have gone astray after following right guidance unless they have been led into disputation.” Then God’s messenger recited this verse, “They only put him forth to you as a matter of dispute; nay, they are a contentious people.” 1Ahmad, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah transmitted it.1 Quran xliii, 58.

a matter whose right guidance is clear, which you must follow; a matter whose error is clear, which you must avoid; and a matter about which there is a difference of opinion, which you must entrust to God.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has propounded as a parable a straight path on the sides of which are walls with open doors over which curtains are hanging down. At the top of the path there is one who calls, ‘Go straight on the path and do not follow an irregular course.’ Above that one is another who calls out as often as anyone tries to open any of those doors, ‘Woe to you! do not open it, for if you open it you will go through it.’” He then interpreted it telling that the path is Islam, the open doors are the things God has forbidden, the curtains hanging down are the limits God has set, the crier at the top of the path is the Qur’an, and the one above him is God’s monitor in every believer’s heart. Razin and Ahmad transmitted it. Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman from an-Nawwas b. Sim'an, as did Tirmidhi in a more concise form.

Jabir told how ‘Umar b. al-Khattab brought God’s messenger a copy of the Torah saying, “Messenger of God, this is a copy of the Torah.” When he received no reply he began to read to the obvious displeasure of God’s messenger, so Abu Bakr said, “Confound you 1 do you not see how God’s messenger is looking?” So ‘Umar looked at God’s messenger’s face and said, “I seek refuge in God from the anger of God and His messenger. We are satisfied with God as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Prophet.” Then God’s messenger said, “By Him in whose hand Muhammad’s soul is, were Moses to appear to you and you were to follow him and abandon me, you would err from the right way. Were he alive and came in touch with my prophetic mission he would follow me.” Darimi transmitted it.1 Literally, may the bereaved be bereaved of you.

Abu Musa reported God's messenger as saying, “I and the message with which God has entrusted me are just like a man who came to a people and said, "I have seen the army with my own eyes, and I am a simple warner, so flee, flee.' A section of his people obeyed him, and setting off at nightfall, went away without hurry and escaped. But a section of them did not believe him and stayed where they were, and the army attacked them at dawn, destroying and extirpating them. That is a comparison with those who obey me and follow my message, and with those who disobey me and disbelieve the truth I have brought.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “I may be likened to a man who kindled a fire, and when it lit up the neighbourhood the insects and these creeping things which fall into a fire began to fall into it. He began to prevent them, but they got the better of him and rushed into it. Now I am seizing your girdles to pull you from hell, but you are rushing into it.” This is Bukhari's version, and Muslim has one similar, but at the end of it he quotes him as saying, “You and I may be likened to that. I am seizing your girdles to pull you from hell. Come away from hell! Come away from hell! But you are getting the better of me and rushing into it.”

Abu Musa reported that God’s messenger said, “The guidance and knowledge with which God has commissioned me are like abundant rain which fell on some ground. Part of it was good, and absorbing the water, it brought forth abundant herbage and pasture; and there were some bare patches in it which retained the water by which God gave benefit to men, who drank, gave drink and sowed seed. But some of it fell on another portion which consisted only of hollows which could not retain the water or produce herbage. That is like the one who becomes versed in God’s religion and receives benefit from the message entrusted to me by God, so he knows for himself and teaches others ; and it is like the one who does not show regard to that and does not accept God’s guidance with which I have been commissioned.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)