Ask me (about religious matters), but they (the Companions) were in awe of asking him. Then came a man, and sat near his knees and said: O Messenger of Allah, what is al-Islam? So he (the Holy Prophet) replied: [That] you do not associate anything with Allah, and establish the prayer, pay the alms (Zakat) and fast Ramadan. He said: You (have) told the truth. He said: Messenger of Allah, what is al-Iman (Faith)? He said: That you affirm your faith in Allah, His angels, His Books, His meeting, His Apostles, and that you believe in Resurrection and that you believe in Qadr (Divine Decree) in all its entirety. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He said: Messenger of Allah, what is al-Ihsan? Upon this he said: that you fear Allah as if you are seeing Him, and though you see Him not, verily He is seeing you. He (the inquirer) said: You (have) told the truth. He (the inquirer) said: When will the Hour (of Doom) occur? He said: The one who is being asked about it is no better informed than the inquirer and I will narrate some of its signs to you. When you see a [slave] woman giving birth to her master - then that is [one] of its signs. And when you see barefooted, naked, deaf and dumb (ignorant and foolish persons) as the rulers of the earth - then that is [one] of its signs. And when you see the shepherds of black (camels) exult in buildings - then that is [one] of its signs. The (Hour) is one of the five things of the unseen. No one knows them except Allah. Then (the Holy Prophet) recited (the folowing verse):" Verily Allah! with Him alone is the knowledge of the Hour and He it is Who sends down the rain and knows that which is in the wombs. And no soul knows what it shall earn on the morrow and a soul knows not in what land it shall die. Verily Allah is Knowing, Aware." He (Abu Huraira) said: Then the person stood up (and made his way). Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Bring him back to me. He was searched for, but they could not find him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) thereupon said: He was Gabriel and he wanted to teach you when you did not ask.
The Book of Faith - Sahih Muslim 10
This renowned hadith from Sahih Muslim, known as the "Hadith of Jibril," provides the foundational understanding of Islam's three dimensions: Islam (submission), Iman (faith), and Ihsan (spiritual excellence). The Companions' awe prevented questioning, but Jibril's appearance as a teacher demonstrates divine guidance in establishing core principles.
Commentary on Islam
The Prophet ﷺ defined Islam through five pillars: shahadah (testifying Allah's oneness), salah (prayer), zakah (charity), sawm (fasting Ramadan), and hajj (implied). These outward acts constitute submission to Allah's commands, forming Islam's visible structure that distinguishes Muslims.
Scholars note the response began with tawhid (monotheism) - the foundation upon which all acts of worship are built. Without pure tawhid, no act is accepted. The sequential mention shows Islam's comprehensive nature encompassing belief, worship, and social obligations.
Commentary on Iman
Iman comprises six essential beliefs: belief in Allah, His angels, His revealed books, His messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree (qadr). While Islam represents outward submission, Iman denotes inward conviction that must manifest in actions.
Classical scholars emphasize that true Iman requires affirmation by the heart, utterance by the tongue, and implementation through limbs. The inclusion of "meeting Allah" and "resurrection" underscores accountability, while qadr balances divine knowledge with human responsibility.
Commentary on Ihsan
Ihsan represents worship's highest degree - to worship Allah as if seeing Him, knowing He sees you. This state of mindfulness (muraqabah) transforms ritual into spiritual experience. Scholars describe this as the station of certainty (yaqin) where faith becomes tangible.
This level transcends mere obligation, infusing every action with God-consciousness. The Sufi masters particularly emphasized this dimension as the path to spiritual refinement and nearness to Allah.
Eschatological Signs
The Prophet's description of Hour's signs indicates moral and social upheaval: slaves ruling masters signifies inverted natural order; unqualified rulers reflect political corruption; and Bedouin competing in construction shows sudden wealth without wisdom.
Scholars interpret these as metaphors for civilizational decline where values are overturned. The final Qur'anic verse (31:34) reaffirms Allah's exclusive knowledge of the Hour, humbling human speculation while affirming divine omniscience.
Pedagogical Significance
Jibril's role as questioner demonstrates Islam's teaching methodology - asking to benefit others. His disappearance after fulfilling his purpose shows angels' ability to assume human form for divine missions.
This hadith serves as a complete primer of Islamic sciences: theology (iman), jurisprudence (islam), and spirituality (ihsan). Its comprehensive nature makes it "the mother of Sunnah" according to many scholars, containing Islam's essence in one narration.