The Book of Virtues

When the last ten nights (of Ramadan) would begin, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would keep awake at night (for prayer and devotion), awaken his family and prepare himself to be more diligent in worship.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to strive more in worship during Ramadan than he strove in any other time of the year; and he would devote himself more (in the worship of Allah) in the last ten nights of Ramadan than he strove in earlier part of the month.[Muslim].

I asked: "O Messenger of Allah! If I realize Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree), what should I supplicate in it?" He (ﷺ) replied, "You should supplicate: Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun, tuhibbul-'afwa, fa'fu 'anni (O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me)."[At-Tirmidhi].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Had I not thought it difficult for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the Miswak (tooth-stick) before every Salat."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Whenever the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up (from sleep), he would rub his teeth with Miswak (tooth-stick).[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

We used to prepare for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) a Miswak (tooth-stick) and the water for making Wudu'. Whenever Allah wished to awaken him from sleep at night, he (ﷺ) would brush his teeth with Miswak, make Wudu', and perform Salat.[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I stress upon you to use Miswak (tooth- stick)."[Al-Bukhari].

I asked 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "What was the first thing which the Prophet (ﷺ) would do when he entered his house?" She replied: "He would use Miswak (tooth-stick)."[Muslim].

I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) once and noticed the tip of Miswak (tooth-stick) on his tongue.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Miswak (tooth-stick) cleanses and purifies the mouth and pleases the Rubb."[An-Nasa'i and Ibn Khuzaimah].

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There are five acts which conform to the pure nature: Circumcision, removing of the pubic hair, clipping the nails, plucking the underarm hair and trimming the moustache."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There are ten demands of pure nature: trimming the moustache, letting the beard grow, using Miswak (tooth-stick), snuffing up water into the nose (in ablution), paring the nails, washing the bases of the finger joints; plucking the underarm hair, removing of the pubic hair and removing impurities with water from the affected part after a call of nature."The subnarrator said: I forgot the tenth but it might possibly be the rinsing of the mouth (in ablution).[Muslim].

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Trim the moustaches and let the beard grow."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "(The structure of) Islam is built on five (pillars): Testification of 'La ilaha illallah' (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), that Muhammad (ﷺ) is his slave and Messenger, the establishment of Salat, the payment of Zakat, the pilgrimage to the House of Allah (Ka'bah), and Saum during the month of Ramadan."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

A person with dishevelled hair, one of the people of Najd, came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). We heard the humming of his voice but could not fully understand what he was saying, till he approached close to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Then I came to know that he was asking about Islam. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "There are five (obligatory) Salat during the day and the night." He said: "Am I obliged to perform any other (Salat) besides these?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "No, but whatever you observe voluntarily." He (ﷺ) added, "There is the Saum of Ramadan." The inquirer asked: "Am I obliged to do anything besides this?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "No, but whatever you do out of your own free will. You may observe voluntary fasting." And the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told him about the Zakat (obligatory charity). The inquirer asked: "Am I obliged to pay anything besides this?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "No, but whatever you pay voluntarily out of your own free will." That man turned back saying: "By Allah! I will neither make any addition to this nor will I decrease anything from it." (Upon hearing this) the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remarked, "He is successful if he proves truthful (to what he is saying)."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Prophet (ﷺ) appointed Mu'adh (May Allah be pleased with him) as governor of Yemen, and at the time of his departure, he instructed him thus: "First of all, call the people to testify 'La ilaha illallah' (there is no true god except Allah) and that I (Muhammad) am the Messenger of Allah, and if they accept this (declaration of Faith), then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them five Salat during the day and night; and if they obey you, tell them that Allah has made the payment of Zakat obligatory upon them. It should be collected from their rich and distributed among their poor."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I have been commanded to fight people till they testify 'La ilaha illallah' (there is no true god except Allah) that Muhammad (ﷺ) is his slave and Messenger, and they establish Salat, and pay Zakat; and if they do this, their blood (life) and property are secured except when justified by law, and it is for Allah to call them to account."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

A man said to the Prophet (ﷺ): "Direct me to a deed which may admit me to Jannah." Upon this he (the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)) said, "Worship Allah and never associate anything with Him in worship, establish Salat, pay Zakat, and strengthen the ties of kinship."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

A bedouin came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Direct me to a deed by which I may be entitled to enter Jannah." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Worship Allah, and never associate anything with Him, establish Salat, pay the Zakat which has been enjoined upon you, and observe Saum of Ramadan." He (the bedouin) said: "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, I will never add anything to these (obligations)." When he turned his back, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who wants to see a man from the dwellers of Jannah, let him look at him (bedouin)."[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].

I pledged allegiance to the Prophet (ﷺ) to establish Salat, to pay the Zakat and to have the welfare of every Muslim at heart.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].