The Book of Virtues

كتاب الفضائل

Chapter 37: Respecting Him And Not Asking Him Unnecessary Questions

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Zuhri with a slight variation of wording.

Anas b. Malik reported that the people asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) until he was hard pressed. He went out one day and he occupied the pulpit and said

Ask me and I shall leave no question of yours unanswered for you, and when the people heard about it they were overawed, as if (something tragic) was going to happen. Anas said: I began to look towards the right and the left and (found) that every person was weeping wrapping his head with the cloth. Then a person in the mosque broke the ice and they used to dispute with him by attributing his fatherhood to another man than his own father. He said: Allah's Apostle, who is my father? He said: Your father is Hudhafa. Then 'Umar b. Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) dared say something and said: We are well pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our code of life and with Muhammad as our Messenger, seeking refuge with Allah from the evil of Turmoil. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Never did I see the good and evil as today. Paradise and Hell were given a visible shape before me (in this worldly life) and I saw both of them near this well.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Qatada.

Abu Musa reported that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) was asked such things which he disapproved and when they persisted on asking him he felt enraged and then said to the people

Ask me what you wish to ask. Thereupon a person said: Who is my father? He said: Your father is Hudhafa. Then another person stood up and said: Allah's Messenger, who is my father? He said: Your father is Salim, the freed slave of Shaiba. When 'Umar saw the signs of anger upon the face of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), he said: Allah's Messenger, we ask repentance from Allah. And in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Abu Kuraib (the words are):" Allah's Messenger, who is my father? He said: Your father is Salim, the freed slave of Shaiba."

Chapter 38: The Obligation To Obey What He Says With Regard To Matters Of Religion, But Not What He Says With Regard To Worldly Matters

Musa b. Talha reported

I and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) happened to pass by people near the date-palm trees. He (the Holy Prophet) said: What are these people doing? They said: They are grafting, i. e. they combine the male with the female (tree) and thus they yield more fruit. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: I do not find it to be of any use. The people were informed about it and they abandoned this practice. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (was later) on informed (that the yield had dwindled), whereupon he said: If there is any use of it, then they should do it, for it was just a personal opinion of mine, and do not go after my personal opinion; but when I say to you anything on behalf of Allah, then do accept it, for I do not attribute lie to Allah, the Exalted and Glorious.

Rafi' b. Khadij reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to Medina and the people had been grafting the trees. He said

What are you doing? They said: We are grafting them, whereupon he said: It may perhaps be good for you if you do not do that, so they abandoned this practice (and the date-palms) began to yield less fruit. They made a mention of it (to the Holy Prophet), whereupon he said: I am a human being, so when I command you about a thing pertaining to religion, do accept it, and when I command you about a thing out of my personal opinion, keep it in mind that I am a human being. 'Ikrima reported that he said something like this.

Anas reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) happened to pass by the people who had been busy in grafting the trees. Thereupon he said

If you were not to do it, it might be good for you. (So they abandoned this practice) and there was a decline in the yield. He (the Holy Prophet) happened to pass by them (and said): What has gone wrong with your trees? They said: You said so and so. Thereupon he said: You have better knowledge (of a technical skill) in the affairs of the world.

Chapter 39: The Virtue Of Looking At Him And Longing To See Him

Abu Huraira reported so many 'ahadith from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and one among them was that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) is reported to have said

By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, a day would come to you when you would not be able to see me, and the glimpse of my face would be dearer to one than one's own family, one's property and in fact everything. This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ishaq with a slight variation of wording.

Chapter 40: The Virtues Of Eisa, Peace Be Upon Him

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

I am most akin to the son of Mary among the whole of mankind and the Prophets are of different mothers, but of one religion, and no Prophet was raised between me and him (Jesus Christ).

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

I am most akin to Jesus Christ among the whole of mankind, and all the Prophets are of different mothers but belong to one religion and no Prophet was raised between me and Jesus.

Abu Huraira reported many ahadith from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and one is that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

I am most close to Jesus, son of Mary, among the whole of mankind in this worldly life and the next life. They said: Allah's Messenger how is it? Thereupon he said: Prophets are brothers in faith, having different mothers. Their religion is, however, one and there is no Apostle between us (between I and Jesus Christ).

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

No child is born but he is pricked by the satan and he begins to weep because of the pricking of the satan except the son of Mary and his mother. Abu Huraira then said: You may recite if you so like (the verse):" I seek Thy protection for her and her offspring against satan the accursed" (iii. 36).

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters (and the words are)

" The newborn child is touched by the satan (when he comes in the world) and he starts crying because of the touch of satan." In the hadith transmitted on the authority of Shu'aib there is a slight variation of wording.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

The satan touches every son of Adam on the day when his mother gives birth to him with the exception of Mary and her son.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

The crying of the child (starts) when the satan begins to prick him.

Abu Huraira reported ahadith from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (and one of them was) that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said Jesus son of Mary saw a person committing theft; thereupon Jesus said to him

You committed theft. He said: Nay. By Him besides Whom there is no god (I have not committed theft). Thereupon Jesus said: I affirm my faith in Allah It is my ownself that deceived me.

Chapter 41: The Virtues Of Ibrahim, Peace Be Upon Him

Anas b. Malik reported that a person came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said

O, the best of creation; thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: He is Ibrahim (peace be upon him).

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Anas through a different chain of transmitters.

Anas reported a hadith like this from Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) through another chain of transmitters.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as having said that Ibrahim (as) circumcised himself with the help of an adze when he was eighty years old.