The Book on Faith

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

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘I have been commanded to fight the people until they say, “There is no god but Allah.” When they say it, their lives and property are protected from me, except by its due right, and their reckoning is with Allah.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih.’ Reports on this topic are also related from Jabir, Abu Sa‘id, and Ibn ‘Umar.

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

Abu Hurairah said: ‘When the Messenger of Allah died and Abu Bakr was appointed as his successor, some among the Arabs disbelieved. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said to Abu Bakr, “How can you fight the people when the Messenger of Allah said, ‘I have been commanded to fight the people until they say, “There is no god but Allah.” Whoever says it has protected his property and life from me, except by its due right, and his reckoning is with Allah’?” Abu Bakr replied, “By Allah, I will fight whoever separates the zakat from the prayer. Zakat is the due right on wealth. By Allah, if they withhold from me even a camel tether that they used to give to the Messenger of Allah, I will fight them for withholding it.” ‘Umar said, “By Allah, it was only when I saw that Allah had opened Abu Bakr’s heart to fighting that I knew he was right.”’

Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih. Shu‘ayb ibn Abi Hamzah also narrated it from al-Zuhri, from ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdullah, from Abu Hurairah. ‘Imran al-Qattan narrated it from Ma‘mar, from al-Zuhri, from Anas ibn Malik, from Abu Bakr, but that version is mistaken; ‘Imran’s narration from Ma‘mar was contradicted.’

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 said: ‘I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, face our qiblah, eat from our slaughtered animals, and perform our prayer. When they do that, their lives and property are inviolable to us except by their due right. They have what the Muslims have, and they are subject to what the Muslims are subject to.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih gharīb through this route. Yahya ibn Ayyub also narrated something similar from Humayd, from Anas.’ Reports on this topic are also related from Mu‘adh ibn Jabal and Abu Hurairah.

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

Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘Islam is built upon five: bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; establishing prayer; giving zakat; fasting Ramadan; and making pilgrimage to the House.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih, and similar reports have been narrated from Ibn ‘Umar through more than one route. Sa‘ir ibn al-Khims is considered reliable by hadith scholars.’ Reports on this topic are also related from Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah.

Abu Kurayb narrated it through Waki‘, from Hanzalah ibn Abi Sufyan al-Jumahi, from ‘Ikrimah ibn Khalid al-Makhzumi, from Ibn ‘Umar, from the Prophet, with similar wording. Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih.’

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

Yahya ibn Ya‘mur said: ‘The first person to speak about divine decree was Ma‘bad al-Juhani. Humayd ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Himyari and I set out for Madinah and said, “If only we could meet one of the Prophet’s Companions and ask him about what these people have introduced.” We met ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar as he was leaving the mosque. My companion and I walked on either side of him. I thought my companion would leave the conversation to me, so I said, “Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman, there are people who recite the Quran and seek knowledge, but claim there is no divine decree and that events are wholly new.” He replied, “When you meet them, tell them that I disavow them and they disavow me. By the One by whom ‘Abdullah swears, if one of them spent gold equal to Mount Uhud in charity, it would not be accepted from him until he believed in divine decree, its good and its bad.” Then he began to narrate and said: ‘“‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said: We were with the Messenger of Allah when a man came whose clothes were intensely white and whose hair was intensely black. No sign of travel could be seen on him, and none of us knew him. He came to the Prophet, placed his knees against the Prophet’s knees, and said, ‘O Muhammad, tell me about faith.’ He replied, ‘That you believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree, both its good and its bad.’ He asked, ‘Tell me about Islam.’ He replied, ‘To testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, establish prayer, give zakat, make pilgrimage to the House, and fast Ramadan.’ He asked, ‘Tell me about excellence (ihsan).’ He replied, ‘That you worship Allah as though you see Him; for if you do not see Him, He surely sees you.’ He said after each answer, ‘You have spoken truthfully.’ We were amazed: he asked him questions and then affirmed his answers. He asked, ‘When is the Hour?’ He replied, ‘The one asked about it knows no more than the one asking.’ He asked, ‘Then what are its signs?’ He replied, ‘That a slave woman will give birth to her mistress, and that you will see barefoot, unclothed, destitute shepherds competing to build taller buildings.’” ‘Umar said: “Three days later, the Prophet met me and said, ‘‘Umar, do you know who the questioner was? That was Gabriel. He came to teach you the fundamental matters of your religion.’”’”

Ahmad ibn Muhammad narrated it from Ibn al-Mubarak, from Kahmas ibn al-Hasan, with this chain and similar wording. Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna narrated it from Mu‘adh ibn Mu‘adh, from Kahmas, with this chain and similar meaning. Reports on this topic are also related from Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah, Anas ibn Malik, and Abu Hurairah. Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih and has been narrated from ‘Umar through more than one route. It has also been narrated from Ibn ‘Umar from the Prophet, but the correct version is Ibn ‘Umar, from ‘Umar, from the Prophet.’

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

Ibn ‘Abbas reported: ‘A delegation from ‘Abd al-Qays came to the Messenger of Allah and said, “We are a branch of Rabi‘ah, and we can reach you only during the sacred months. Give us something to follow from you, so we can call those behind us to it.” He said, “I command you to do four things: faith in Allah”—then he explained it to them—“to testify that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah; to establish prayer; to give zakat; and to deliver one-fifth of the spoils you gain.”’ A second chain through Hammad ibn Zayd, from Abu Jamrah, from Ibn ‘Abbas, from the Prophet, gives similar wording. Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih. Abu Jamrah al-Duba‘i’s name was Nasr ibn ‘Imran. Shu‘bah also narrated it from Abu Jamrah, adding, “Do you know what faith is? Testifying that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah,” then mentioning the hadith.’

Qutaybah ibn Sa‘id said: ‘I have never seen the like of these four distinguished men: Malik ibn Anas, al-Layth ibn Sa‘d, ‘Abbad ibn ‘Abbad al-Muhallabi, and ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Thaqafi.’ Qutaybah said: ‘We were content to return from ‘Abbad with two hadiths each day.’ ‘Abbad ibn ‘Abbad was a descendant of al-Muhallab ibn Abi Sufrah.’

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

‘A’ishah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘Among the believers, the most complete in faith are those best in character and kindest to their families.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan. We do not know that Abu Qilabah heard from ‘A’ishah. Abu Qilabah narrated other than this hadith from ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid, one of ‘A’ishah’s foster-children, from ‘A’ishah. Abu Qilabah’s name was ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd al-Jarmi.’

Ibn Abi ‘Umar narrated from Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah, who said that Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani mentioned Abu Qilabah and said: ‘By Allah, he was one of the insightful jurists.’ Reports on this topic are also related from Abu Hurairah and Anas ibn Malik.

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

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah addressed the people, admonished them, and said: ‘Women, give charity, for you are the majority of the people of the Fire.’ One of the women asked, ‘Why is that, Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘Because you curse frequently’—meaning your ingratitude toward your husbands. He said: ‘I have not seen anyone more able to overcome people of understanding and sound judgment than you, despite your deficiency in reason and religion.’ One of the women asked, ‘What is the deficiency in her religion and reason?’ He replied, ‘The testimony of two women among you is equal to the testimony of one man; and the deficiency in your religion is menstruation: one of you spends three or four days without praying.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is sahih gharīb hasan through this route.’ Reports on this topic are also related from Abu Sa‘id and Ibn ‘Umar.

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

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘Faith has seventy-odd branches. The lowest is removing something harmful from the road, and the highest is saying, “There is no god but Allah.”’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih. Suhayl ibn Abi Salih narrated it from ‘Abdullah ibn Dinar, from Abu Salih, from Abu Hurairah.’ ‘Umarah ibn Ghaziyyah narrated this hadith from Abu Salih, from Abu Hurairah, from the Prophet, with the wording: ‘Faith has sixty-four branches.’ Qutaybah narrated this to us from Bakr ibn Mudar, from ‘Umarah ibn Ghaziyyah, from Abu Salih, from Abu Hurairah, from the Prophet.

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

Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah passed by a man who was admonishing his brother about modesty. The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Modesty is part of faith.’ Ahmad ibn Mani‘’s wording is: ‘The Prophet heard a man admonishing his brother about modesty.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih.’ Reports on this topic are also related from Abu Hurairah, Abu Bakrah, and Abu Umamah.

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

Mu‘adh ibn Jabal reported: ‘I was traveling with the Prophet. One day, as we were moving, I was near him and said, “Messenger of Allah, tell me of a deed that will admit me to Paradise and keep me far from the Fire.” He said, “You have asked about something tremendous, yet it is easy for whomever Allah makes it easy: worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him; establish prayer; give zakat; fast Ramadan; and make pilgrimage to the House.” Then he said, “Shall I guide you to the gates of goodness? Fasting is a shield; charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire; and a man’s prayer in the depths of the night.” Then he recited, “Their sides forsake their beds…” until “…they used to do.”

Then he said, “Shall I tell you the head of the whole matter, its pillar, and its highest peak?” I said, “Of course, Messenger of Allah.” He said, “The head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is prayer, and its highest peak is jihad.” Then he said, “Shall I tell you what governs all of that?” I said, “Of course, Prophet of Allah.” He took hold of his tongue and said, “Restrain this.” I asked, “Prophet of Allah, will we be held accountable for what we say?” He replied, “May your mother be bereaved of you, Mu‘adh! What throws people into the Fire on their faces—or on their noses—if not the harvests of their tongues?” Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih.’

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 said: ‘If you see a man regularly frequenting the mosque, bear witness to his faith, for Allah, Exalted is He, says: “Only those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, and give zakat maintain the mosques of Allah…”’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is gharīb hasan.’

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

Jabir reported that the Prophet said: ‘Between disbelief and faith is abandoning the prayer.’

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

Through al-A‘mash, with the same chain, a similar report says: ‘Between a servant and polytheism or disbelief is abandoning the prayer.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih.’ Abu Sufyan’s name was Talhah ibn Nafi‘.’

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

Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘Between a servant and disbelief is abandoning the prayer.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih.’ Abu al-Zubayr’s name was Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Tadrus.

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

Buraydah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘The covenant between us and them is the prayer; whoever abandons it has committed disbelief.’ Three routes are cited: through al-Fadl ibn Musa, from al-Husayn ibn Waqid; through ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Waqid, from his father; and through ‘Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Shaqiq, from al-Husayn ibn Waqid, from ‘Abdullah ibn Buraydah, from his father. Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih gharīb.’ Reports on this topic are also related from Anas and Ibn ‘Abbas.

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

‘Abdullah ibn Shaqiq al-‘Uqayli said: ‘The Companions of Muhammad did not consider abandoning any deed to be disbelief, except the prayer.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘I heard Abu Mus‘ab al-Madani say: “Whoever says that faith is speech should be asked to repent; if he repents, fine, and if not, his neck should be struck.”’

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 reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘He has tasted the sweetness of faith who is pleased with Allah as Lord, Islam as religion, and Muhammad as Prophet.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih.’

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 said: ‘There are three qualities which, when present in a person, let him taste the sweetness of faith: that Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anything else; that he loves a person only for Allah’s sake; and that he hates to return to disbelief after Allah has saved him from it, just as he hates to be thrown into the Fire.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is hasan sahih. Qatadah also narrated it from Anas ibn Malik from the Prophet.’

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

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘An adulterer is not a believer while committing adultery, and a thief is not a believer while stealing; but repentance remains available.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘The hadith of Abu Hurairah is hasan sahih gharīb through this route.’ Reports on this topic are also related from Ibn ‘Abbas, ‘A’ishah, and ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa.

It is also reported from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet said: ‘When a servant commits adultery, faith departs from him and hangs above his head like a canopy. When he stops that deed, faith returns to him.’ Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn ‘Ali said about this: ‘He leaves faith for Islam.’ Through more than one route, the Prophet also said regarding adultery and theft: ‘Whoever commits any of that and the prescribed punishment is carried out on him, it is expiation for his sin. Whoever commits any of that and Allah conceals it, then his case is with Allah: if He wills, He will punish him on the Day of Resurrection, and if He wills, He will forgive him.’ This was narrated from the Prophet by ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit, and Khuzaymah ibn Thabit.