Chapters on Virtues

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Wathilah ibn al-Asqa‘ reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Allah chose Ishmael from the descendants of Abraham, the descendants of Ishmael from them chose Banu Kinanah, from Banu Kinanah He chose Quraysh, from Quraysh He chose Banu Hashim, and from Banu Hashim He chose me.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih hadith.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Wathilah ibn al-Asqa‘ reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Allah chose Kinanah from the descendants of Ishmael, Quraysh from Kinanah, Hashim from Quraysh, and me from Banu Hashim.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih gharib hadith.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib said: I said: ‘Messenger of Allah, Quraysh sat together discussing their lineages and likened you to a palm tree growing in a hollow in the earth.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Allah created creation and made me from the best of them, from the best of their groups and the best of the two groups. Then He selected the tribes and made me from the best tribe; then He selected the households and made me from the best household. I am the best of them in person and in household.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan hadith. ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Harith is Ibn Nawfal.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Al-Muttalib ibn Abi Wada‘ah reported: Al-‘Abbas came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, apparently having heard something. The Prophet ﷺ stood on the pulpit and asked: ‘Who am I?’ They replied: ‘You are the Messenger of Allah; peace be upon you.’ He said: ‘I am Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib. Allah created creation and placed me among the best of them. Then He divided them into two groups and placed me in the best group. Then He made them tribes and placed me in the best tribe. Then He made them households and placed me in the best household and among the best of them.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan hadith. It is also narrated from Sufyan al-Thawri, from Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad, with wording like the report of Isma‘il ibn Abi Khalid, from Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad, from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Harith, from al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Hurayrah reported that people asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, when was prophethood decreed for you?’ He replied: ‘While Adam was between spirit and body.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih gharib hadith from Abu Hurayrah; we know it only through this route. There is also a report on this subject from Maysarah al-Fajr.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘I will be the first of people to emerge when they are raised, their spokesman when they arrive, and the bearer of good news to them when they despair. The Banner of Praise will be in my hand that day. I am the most honored of Adam’s children in my Lord’s sight, and I do not boast.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan gharib hadith.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘I will be the first for whom the earth opens. Then I will be clothed in a robe from the robes of Paradise, and I will stand to the right of the Throne. No one among creation will stand in that place except me.’ This is a hasan gharib sahih hadith.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Ask Allah to grant me al-Wasilah.’ They asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, what is al-Wasilah?’ He replied: ‘The highest rank in Paradise, which only one man will attain. I hope that I will be that man.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a gharib hadith, and its chain is not strong. Ka‘b is unknown; we know no one who narrated from him other than Layth ibn Abi Sulaym.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Al-Tufayl ibn Ubayy ibn Ka‘b reported from his father that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘My likeness among the prophets is that of a man who built a house, making it sound, complete, and beautiful, but leaving a space for one brick. People walked around the building, admiring it and saying, “If only the place of that brick were filled!” Among the prophets, I am in the place of that brick.’ With this same chain, he also said: ‘On the Day of Resurrection I will be the leader of the prophets, their spokesman, and the bearer of their intercession—without boasting.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih gharib hadith.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘When you hear the caller to prayer, repeat what he says, then invoke blessings upon me. Whoever invokes blessings upon me once, Allah will bless him tenfold. Then ask Allah to grant me al-Wasilah, a station in Paradise that befits only one servant of Allah, and I hope to be that one. Whoever asks Allah to grant me al-Wasilah will be entitled to my intercession.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih hadith. Muhammad said: ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Jubayr is Qurashi, Egyptian, and Medinan; ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Jubayr ibn Nufayr is Syrian.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Sa‘id reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘I am the master of the children of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, without boasting. The Banner of Praise will be in my hand, without boasting. No prophet that day—Adam or anyone else—will be there except under my banner. I will be the first for whom the earth opens, without boasting.’ Abu ‘Isa said: The hadith includes a story, and this is a hasan hadith. It has also been narrated through this chain from Abu Nadr from Ibn ‘Abbas, from the Prophet ﷺ.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas said: Some Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat waiting for him. When he came near, he heard them talking. One said: ‘It is remarkable that Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend from among His creation.’ Another said: ‘What is more remarkable than Allah speaking directly to Moses?’ Another said: ‘Jesus is Allah’s word and His spirit.’ Another said: ‘Allah chose Adam.’ The Prophet ﷺ came out, greeted them, and said: ‘I heard what you said and your expressions of wonder. Abraham is Allah’s intimate friend, and that is so. Moses is Allah’s interlocutor, and that is so. Jesus is Allah’s spirit and His word, and that is so. Adam was chosen by Allah, and that is so. Indeed, I am Allah’s beloved, without boasting. I will carry the Banner of Praise on the Day of Resurrection, without boasting. I will be the first intercessor and the first whose intercession is accepted on the Day of Resurrection, without boasting. I will be the first to move the rings of Paradise, and Allah will open it for me; the poor among the believers will enter with me, without boasting. I am the most honored of the earlier and later peoples, without boasting.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a gharib hadith.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

‘Abd Allah ibn Salam reported: The description of Muhammad and Jesus son of Mary is written in the Torah: Jesus will be buried with him. Abu Mawud said: A place for a grave remains in the house. Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan gharib hadith. ‘Uthman ibn al-Dahhak said it this way, but the well-known form of the name is al-Dahhak ibn ‘Uthman al-Madani.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Anas ibn Malik reported: On the day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Medina, everything there shone brightly; on the day he died, everything there became dark. We did not brush our hands off the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while we were burying him before our hearts became estranged. Abu ‘Isa said: This is a gharib sahih hadith.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Al-Muttalib ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Qays ibn Makhramah reported from his father, from his grandfather: ‘I and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were born in the Year of the Elephant.’ ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan asked Qubath ibn Ashyam, the brother of Banu Ya‘mar ibn Layth: ‘Are you older, or the Messenger of Allah?’ He replied: ‘The Messenger of Allah is greater than me, and I was born before him. The Messenger of Allah was born in the Year of the Elephant, and my mother raised me to the place.’ He said: ‘I saw the elephant’s dung, green and decayed.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan gharib hadith; we know it only through the narration of Muhammad ibn Ishaq.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari reported: Abu Talib set out for Syria with the Prophet ﷺ and some Qurayshi elders. When they approached the monk, they stopped and unloaded their baggage. The monk came out to them, though previously they had passed by him without his coming out or paying attention. While they were unloading, he moved through them, came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and took his hand. He said: ‘This is the master of the worlds; this is the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds. Allah will send him as a mercy to the worlds.’ Some Qurayshi elders asked: ‘How do you know?’ He replied: ‘When you appeared over the mountain pass, every tree and stone fell down prostrating; they prostrate only to a prophet. I recognize him by the seal of prophethood below his shoulder cartilage, like an apple.’ He went back and prepared food for them. When he brought it, the Prophet ﷺ was tending the camels, so he said: ‘Send for him.’ The Prophet ﷺ came with a cloud shading him. When he approached the people, they had already taken the shade of a tree. When he sat, the tree’s shade leaned toward him. The monk said: ‘Look, the tree’s shade has leaned toward him.’ As he stood there, he urged them not to take him to the Romans, who would recognize him by his description and kill him. He turned and saw seven men approaching from the Romans. He met them and asked: ‘What brings you here?’ They said: ‘We came because this prophet is to appear this month. No road has been left without people being sent along it; we were told about him and sent down this road.’ He asked: ‘Is anyone behind you better than you?’ They said: ‘We were only told of him on this road.’ He asked: ‘Do you think that if Allah intends to bring something about, anyone can turn it back?’ They replied: ‘No.’ They pledged allegiance to him and stayed with him. The monk asked them by Allah: ‘Which of you is his guardian?’ They said: ‘Abu Talib.’ He kept urging Abu Talib until he sent the Prophet ﷺ back. Abu Bakr sent Bilal with him, and the monk provisioned him with bread and oil. Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan gharib hadith; we know it only through this route.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported: Revelation came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he was forty. He stayed in Mecca for thirteen years and in Medina for ten, and he died at sixty-three. Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih hadith.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported: The Prophet ﷺ died at sixty-five. Ibn Bashshar narrated it to us this way, and Muhammad ibn Isma‘il also narrated the same from him.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was neither conspicuously tall nor short, neither intensely white nor dark, and his hair was neither tightly curled nor straight. Allah commissioned him at the beginning of his fortieth year. He stayed in Mecca for ten years and in Medina for ten years. Allah took him at the beginning of his sixtieth year, and there were fewer than twenty white hairs on his head and beard. Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih hadith.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Jabir ibn Samurah reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘In Mecca there is a stone that used to greet me during the nights when I was commissioned. I still recognize it now.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan gharib hadith.