I was riding behind the Prophet (ﷺ) and there was nothing between him and me but the rear part of the saddle, when he said: Mu'adh b. Jabal: To which I replied: At your beck and call, and at your pleasure, Messenger of Allah! He moved along for a few minutes, when again he said: Mu'adh b. Jabal: To which I replied: At your beck and call, and at your pleasure, Messenger of Allah! He then again moved along for a few minutes and said: Mu'adh b. Jabal: To which I replied. At your beck and call, and at your pleasure. Messenger of Allah He, (the Holy Prophet) said: Do you know what right has Allah upon His servants? I said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Verily the right of Allah over His servants is that they should worship Him, not associating anything with Him. He (the Holy Prophet) with Mu'adh behind him, moved along for a few minutes and said: Mu'adh b. Jabal: To which I replied: At your beck and call, and at your pleasure, Messenger of Allah! He (the Holy Prophet) said: Do you know what rights have servants upon Allah in case they do it (i. e. they worship Allah without associating anything with Him)? I (Mu'adh b. Jabal) replied: Allah and His Messenger know best. (Upon this) he (the Holy Prophet) remarked: That He would not torment them (with the fire of Hell).
The Book of Faith - Sahih Muslim 30a
This narration from Mu'adh ibn Jabal, recorded in Sahih Muslim, contains one of the most fundamental teachings regarding the rights between Allah and His servants. The Prophet's repeated calling of Mu'adh's name demonstrates the gravity and importance of what was to follow.
The Right of Allah Upon His Servants
The primary right Allah has over His creation is pure worship (ibadah) without any form of shirk (associating partners with Him). This constitutes the essence of Tawhid - the absolute oneness of Allah in His lordship, worship, and attributes.
This worship encompasses all aspects of life - belief, speech, and actions - all directed solely to Allah according to the manner He prescribed through His Messenger.
The Right of Servants Upon Allah
When servants fulfill their obligation of pure monotheistic worship, Allah promises not to punish them with the Fire of Hell. This demonstrates Allah's perfect justice and boundless mercy.
Scholars explain this encompasses those who maintain Tawhid until death, though minor sins may require purification. The promise applies specifically to eternal punishment, not necessarily temporary purification for sins.
Scholarly Observations
The setting - riding together in close proximity - indicates the personal nature of this teaching and the special attention given to Mu'adh, who later became a great teacher in Yemen.
The Prophet's repetition before each question emphasizes the importance of the matter and prepares the listener's heart to receive this fundamental knowledge.
Mu'adh's response "Allah and His Messenger know best" demonstrates proper etiquette when asked about matters of religious knowledge beyond one's understanding.