An-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths
Hadith 31, 40 Hadith an-Nawawi
عَنْ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و سلم فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ! دُلَّنِي عَلَى عَمَلٍ إذَا عَمِلْتُهُ أَحَبَّنِي اللهُ وَأَحَبَّنِي النَّاسُ؛ فَقَالَ: "ازْهَدْ فِي الدُّنْيَا يُحِبَّك اللهُ، وَازْهَدْ فِيمَا عِنْدَ النَّاسِ يُحِبَّك النَّاسُ" . حديث حسن، رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ [رقم:4102]، وَغَيْرُهُ بِأَسَانِيدَ حَسَنَةٍ.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
On the authority of Abu al-‘Abbas Sahl ibn Sa‘d al-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, direct me to a deed which, if I do it, will make Allah love me and the people love me.’ He said, ‘Renounce the world and Allah will love you; renounce what people possess and the people will love you.’ A hasan hadith, narrated by Ibn Majah [no. 4102] and others with hasan chains.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
فَقَالَ: "ازْهَدْ فِي الدُّنْيَا يُحِبَّك اللهُ،
The Arabic الزهد carries context-sensitive meanings of renunciation/disinterest; the witness uses “renounce.” No approved glossary accompanies the source.
Which reviewed rendering is preferred for الزهد in this context?