The Book Of Faith and its Signs

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah was asked, “Which deed is best?” He replied, “Faith in Allah and His Messenger.”

It was narrated from Abdullah bin Hubshi Al-Khathami that the Prophet ﷺ was asked, “Which deeds are best?” He replied, “Faith without doubt, jihad without misappropriation, and an accepted Hajj.”

Anas bin Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Three qualities bring the sweetness of faith: Allah and His Messenger are dearer than anything else; one loves and hates for the sake of Allah; and being cast into a great fire is dearer than associating anything with Allah.”

Qatadah said: I heard Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrate that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever has these three qualities will find the sweetness of faith: he loves a person only for Allah; Allah and His Messenger are dearer than anything else; and being thrown into the Fire is dearer than returning to disbelief after Allah saved him from it.”

Anas reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever has these three qualities will find the sweetness of Islam: Allah and His Messenger are dearer than anything else; he loves a person only for Allah; and he would hate to return to disbelief as much as he would hate to be cast into the Fire.”

Abdullah bin Umar said: Umar bin Al-Khattab told me: One day, while we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, a man appeared with very white clothes and very black hair. No trace of travel could be seen on him, and none of us knew him. He sat before the Messenger, knees against his and hands on his thighs, and said, “O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.” He replied, “It is to testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; to establish prayer, give zakah, fast Ramadan, and perform Hajj to the House if able.” The man said, “You have spoken the truth.” We wondered that he asked and then affirmed his answer. He said, “Tell me about faith.” He replied, “It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree, both its good and bad.” The man said, “You have spoken the truth.” He said, “Tell me about excellence.” He replied, “It is to worship Allah as though you see Him; if you do not see Him, He surely sees you.” He said, “Tell me about the Hour.” He replied, “The one asked about it knows no more than the one asking.” He said, “Then tell me about its signs.” He replied, “That a slave woman gives birth to her mistress, and that you see barefoot, naked, destitute shepherds competing to build tall structures.” Umar said: Three days passed, then the Messenger said to me, “O Umar, do you know who the questioner was?” I said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said, “That was Gabriel, peace be upon him. He came to teach you your religion.”

Abu Hurairah and Abu Dharr said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to sit among his Companions, and a stranger would not know which one he was until he asked. We asked him to have a seat made so a visitor could recognize him, so we built him a clay bench. One day a man came, handsome and fragrant, as though his clothes had never been soiled. He greeted him at the edge of the rug. The man repeatedly asked to come closer until he placed his hands on the Prophets knees. He asked about Islam. The Prophet replied: Worship Allah without associating anything with Him, establish prayer, give zakah, perform Hajj, and fast Ramadan. The man asked if that made him a Muslim; the Prophet said yes. The man affirmed that he had spoken the truth, which we found strange. He asked about faith, and the Prophet replied: Believe in Allah, His angels, the Book, the prophets, and divine decree. He asked about excellence, and the Prophet replied: Worship Allah as though you see Him; if you do not see Him, He sees you. He then asked about the Hour. After repeated questions, the Prophet said the one asked knows no more than the one asking, but signs include humble shepherds competing in tall buildings, barefoot and naked people ruling the earth, and a woman giving birth to her master. Five matters are known only to Allah, then he recited the verse about Allah having knowledge of the Hour through the verse saying Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. He swore that he knew no more than them about the man: it was Gabriel, peace be upon him, who came in the form of Dihyah Al-Kalbi.

Amir bin Sad bin Abi Waqqas reported from his father: The Prophet ﷺ gave gifts to some men and gave nothing to another. Sad said, “Messenger of Allah, you gave so-and-so, but gave nothing to so-and-so, though he is a believer.” The Prophet said, “Or a Muslim.” Sad repeated this three times, and each time the Prophet said, “Or a Muslim.” Then he said, “I give to some men and leave others, who are dearer to me, without giving them anything, for fear they may be dragged into the Fire on their faces.”

Sad reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ distributed a share, giving to some and withholding from others. I said, “Messenger of Allah, you gave to so-and-so and withheld from so-and-so, though he is a believer.” He said, “Do not say a believer; say a Muslim.” Ibn Shihab said: The Bedouins say, “We believe.”

Bishr bin Suhaim reported that the Prophet ﷺ commanded him to announce during the Days of Tashriq: “None will enter Paradise except a believer; these are days of eating and drinking.”

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hand people are safe, and a believer is one whom people trust with their lives and wealth.”

Abdullah bin Amr said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, “A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe, and an emigrant is one who abandons what Allah has forbidden.”

Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever prays as we pray, faces our qiblah, and eats from our slaughtered animals is a Muslim.”

Abu Saeed Al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When a person accepts Islam and practices it well, Allah records for him the reward of every good deed he did before and erases every bad deed he did before. Thereafter comes requital: each good deed is multiplied tenfold, up to seven hundredfold, while each bad deed is counted as one, unless Allah, Mighty and Sublime, pardons it.”

Abu Musa said: We asked, “Messenger of Allah, whose Islam is best?” He replied, “The one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe.”

Abdullah bin Amr reported that a man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, “Which aspect of Islam is best?” He replied, “Feeding people and offering the greeting of peace to those you know and those you do not know.”

Ibn Umar reported that a man asked him, “Why do you not go out to fight?” He replied, “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: Islam is built on five: the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, establishing prayer, giving zakah, performing Hajj, and fasting Ramadan.”

Ubadah bin As-Samit said: We were with the Prophet ﷺ in a gathering when he said, “Pledge to me that you will not associate anything with Allah, steal, or commit unlawful sexual relations.” He recited the verse to them, then said, “Whoever among you fulfills this pledge will have his reward with Allah. Whoever commits any of these acts and Allah conceals it, his matter is with Allah: if He wills, He will punish him, and if He wills, He will forgive him.”

Anas bin Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Once they testify to this, face our qiblah, eat from our slaughtered animals, and pray as we pray, their lives and property are forbidden to us except by a right, and they have the same rights and obligations as the Muslims.”

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Faith has more than seventy branches, and modesty is one branch of faith.”