Forty Hadiths
for Young People
Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Muhanna
6
Introduction
All praise belongs to God, the Lord of all worlds. Peace and
blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad, his household and all companions.
Scholars have published a large number of books which
comprise of forty hadiths. The best known of these is Al-Arba'ūn
al-Nawawiyyah, compiled by Imam al-Nawawī. He intended these
to be studied and memorized by students of Islamic studies. Other
books listing forty hadiths include Al-Arba'ūn fī Dalā'il al-Tawḥīd, by
Imam al-Harawī. These hadiths concentrate on God’s oneness. Ibn
al-Mufaḍḍal compiled Al-Arba'ūn al-Ilāhiyyah, while Ibn 'Asākir’s
collection was Al-Arba'ūn al-Buldāniyyah. There are many other
selections of forty hadiths.
God has given me the honour of selecting forty short hadiths
tackling various religious subjects to present to young Muslims so
that they can memorize and learn their meanings. I call my collection
Al-Arba'ūn al-Wildāniyyah as the hadiths are primarily catered
to Muslim children. Every one of these forty hadiths is highly authentic,
as they are narrated by one or both of the top two scholars
of hadith sciences: Al-Bukhari and Muslim. May God bestow mercy
on their souls.
I include a general explanation of each of these forty hadiths,
stating its message. I made an effort to keep the explanation short,
clear, and easy to read.
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I humbly hope that God, Mighty and Exalted, may accept my
work and that my effort will be well received by people, so that
these hadiths will be widely learned and memorized by individuals
and groups of students, and that they will provide material for competitions
and courses in mosques, schools, and private homes.
Our Lord, we ask You to accept our humble efforts, and accept
the repentance of our sins, for You are the Ever-Merciful who accepts
repentance. Forgive us and forgive our parents and loved
ones as well as all Muslims our sins. Bestow peace and blessings
on Prophet Muhammad and his household and all his companions.
Muhammad ibn Sulayman ibn
Abdullah al-Muhanna
Riyadh
00966505490525
Twitter: @almohannam
Email: almohann.m@gmail.com
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A Prelude of Six Points
1 This book is suitable for the young, but it is also good for
adults. It only includes verses of the Qur’an, statements by
the Prophet (peace be upon him), or advice based on what
eminent scholars have written.
2 I have chosen short hadiths so that they can be easily memorized.
They address a variety of subjects so that they will
give great benefit.
3 I provide an index listing the texts of the hadiths, or their
beginnings, to help with memorization and revision.
4 My primary purpose in compiling this selection is to make
it easy for young Muslims to memorize. Therefore, I suggest
that programs and competitions should be organized in
homes, schools and other places for such memorization.
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5 I urge parents and teachers to first read this book with their
sons and daughters or with their students to learn the correct
pronunciation of each hadith. They should also teach
them the Islamic manners highlighted by the hadiths.
6 I highlight numerous beneficial points and directives in my
explanation of the hadiths. However, the messages of these
hadiths go far beyond what I have mentioned. Therefore, I
hope that young readers will endeavour to discover these
and record them, either through individual or joint efforts, so
that they will learn more and impart knowledge to others.
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‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar said that God’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) said: “Islam is built on five:
the declaration that there is no deity other than
God and that Muhammad is God’s Messenger,
regular attendance to prayer, payment of zakat,
the pilgrimage and fasting during Ramadan.” [Related
by al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Explanation
In this hadith, the Prophet explains five matters that are the
most critical and essential aspects of the Islamic faith. Therefore,
they are called the Five Pillars of Islam.
The first pillar is the declaration of faith that there is no deity
other than God and that Muhammad was God’s Messenger. This
pillar is the most important of the five pillars. Whoever states this
declaration verbally and believes in it is considered a believer in
Islam.
The second pillar is the regular adherence to prayer. This
comes next to the declaration in terms of importance. Hence, the
Prophet mentions prayer immediately after the declaration.
1
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The third pillar is the payment of zakat, which is a sum of money
determined by Islamic law from a person’s wealth. A Muslim
must pay zakat to the poor and needy and others who qualify as
beneficiaries of this fund.
The fourth essential is fasting during the month of Ramadan.
A Muslim must fast every day of the month of Ramadan unless he
has an exemption.
The fifth essential is the pilgrimage to God’s Sacred House in
Makkah. This duty applies once only in a Muslim’s lifetime, provided
that they meet the condition of ability to travel and perform the hajj.
These are the five pillars on which the structure of the Islamic
faith is built. The detailed rulings and recommendations applicable
to each of them are explained in books of Islamic law.
The Pillars
of Islam
The two
testimonies
of faith
Paying zakaat
Fasting in
the month of
Ramadaan
Establish the
prayer
Making the
pilgrimage to
Allah’s House
1 2
3 4 5
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Anas ibn Mālik said: “God’s Messenger (peace
be upon him) was asked about grave sins. He
said: ‘Associating partners with God, undutifulness
to parents, murder, and perjury”’. [Related by
al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Explanation
In this hadith, the Prophet tells us that four actions are ranked
among the gravest sins people commit. The first of these is associating
partners with God. This offense takes a person away from
Islam and lands him in the realm of disbelief. Moreover, ascribing
partners to God condemns a person to everlasting punishment in
Hell, as God says: “The disbelievers are indeed those who say:
‘God is the Christ, son of Mary’. The Christ himself said: ‘Children of
Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord’. Whoever associates
partners with God, God shall forbid him entrance into Paradise, and
his abode will be the Fire. Wrongdoers will have no helpers.” (5:72)
The second grave sin mentioned in the hadith is undutifulness
to parents. This includes abandoning and boycotting them, offending
them by word or deed, disobeying them and, also causing
them distress or grief, etc.
2
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A third major sin the hadith mentions is murder. To kill someone
without acceptable justification is indeed a very grave offense. It
incurs God’s wrath and condemns the murderer to suffer punishment
in Hell, as God says in the Qur’an: ‘He who deliberately kills a
believer, his punishment is Hell, therein to abide permanently. God
will be angry with him, and will reject him, and will prepare for him a
dreadful suffering’. (4: 93)
The fourth sin stated in the hadith is perjury which is to give
false testimony. Whoever deliberately gives a testimony against
another person, knowing that it is false, commits an enormity that
ranks among the gravest of sins.
Every Muslim must be truthful at all times and in all situations.
This includes giving true testimony. If a Muslim is required to be a
witness, whether in court or other situations, they must state the
truth. A Muslim must not state a falsehood so that he remains free
of committing such a grave sin.
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3
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr reports that God’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) said: “A Muslim is one from
whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe.”
[Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Explanation
A Muslim may be firm or weak in his adherence to Islam, just as
a believer may be of firm or weak in faith. Therefore, the one who
is perfectly firm in adhering to Islam and its values and principles
is a true Muslim. It is this type of adherence to faith that God loves
and accepts.
In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us that a
true Muslim is in complete control of his tongue and hand. Thus,
he does not offend other Muslims, whether by word or deed. He
does not revile or backbite others, so as to offend them. Nor does
he assault them physically.
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Such is the description of a perfect adherent to Islam: he causes
no harm or offense to others by word or deed. Therefore, the one
who offends Muslims verbally or harms them physically is deficient
in faith and does not earn God’s pleasure.
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4
Abu Hurayrah reports that God’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) said: “The mark of a hypocrite
consists of three characteristics: when he
speaks, he lies; when he promises, he reneges;
and when he is placed in trust, he betrays.” [Related
by al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Explanation
Hypocrites are among the most abominable of people. God tells
us about their abode in the life to come: “The hypocrites will be in
the lowest depth of the Fire, and you will find none who can give
them support.” (4:145)
In this hadith, the Prophet mentions three characteristics describing
them as marks of every hypocrite so that we are well aware
of them and make sure to always remain free of them.
The first characteristic is dishonesty, the second is being untrue
to one’s promises, and the third is the betrayal of trust. These three
are the main characteristics of every hypocrite.
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By contrast, when a believer speaks, he speaks the truth and
steers away from falsehood. When he promises something, he
honours his promise, fulfilling it. When someone places something
with him in trust, he gives it back to him on demand, without hesitation
or delay.
Likewise, if someone tells him something or trusts him with a
secret, requesting him to keep that information to himself, a believer
will not divulge that information to anyone as giving a secret
away is a type of betrayal of trust. Therefore, we ask to God to keep
us safe from such betrayal.
marks of every
hypocrite
being untrue to
one’s promises,
the betrayal
of trust.
is dishonesty,
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5
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reports that God’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) said: “What separates a person
from disbelief and associating partners with
God is the negligence of prayer.” [Related by Muslim].
Explanation
Prayer is the second most important essential of the Islamic
faith. It is ranked immediately after the declaration testifying one’s
belief that there is no deity other than God and that Muhammad is
God’s Messenger. Therefore, God has commanded us to attend
regularly to prayer. Numerous verses of the Qur’an and hadiths by
the Prophet clearly state this requirement and forbid neglecting it.
This hadith clarifies that taking a complacent attitude towards
prayer involves significant risk. The Prophet clarifies that negligence
of prayer is the one thing that brings a person into disbelief.
If one abandons prayer, neglecting one’s duty of offering the five
daily obligatory prayers, one gets close to disbelief and associating
partners with God. Therefore, we seek God’s protection from being
in such a situation.
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The hadith serves as clear evidence that the negligence of
prayer is one of the gravest of sins. It is indeed more sinful than
some of the grave sins like usury, adultery, theft and drinking alcohol.
All of these are very serious sins indeed.
Therefore, every Muslim man and woman must make sure to
attend to their prayers on time, giving prayer its due importance.
We must not forget that such attendance to prayer brings us goodness,
blessings, and an increase of provisions. Besides, prayer is a
means to receive God’s forgiveness of our sins, earn His pleasure,
and gain admittance into Heaven.
It is essential for every Muslim, man or woman, to know the
prayer times and make an effort to perform every prayer on time.
The timing of every prayer is serious because a person who delays
a prayer, for no valid reason, letting its time pass without offering it,
commits a grave sin.
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6
Abu Hurayrah reports that God’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) said: “A strong believer is
better and dearer to God than a weak believer,
but there is goodness in both.” [Related by Muslim].
Explanation
In this short statement, the Prophet (peace be upon him) urges
us to be strong in all our affairs: in our belief in God, our firm certainty
of Him, following His teachings, commitment to His religion, the
pursuit of knowledge, acquisition of strength as well as in all what
benefits us in matters of life and faith. It is sufficient motivation for
us to seek such strength that a strong believer is better and dearer
to God than a weak believer. A strong believer is “strong in faith,
will, resolve and action.”(1)
Therefore, all believers, men and women, must endeavour to
strengthen their faith as best as they can. They should use all facilities
that lead to the strengthening of faith. They should also exert
serious efforts to strengthen their resolve to do good deeds that
(1) M. S. ibn Uthaymin, Tafsīr al-Qur’an al-Karīm, Surahs 49-57.
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bring them closer to God and acquire the strength of character to
deal with life’s many adversities. Moreover, they should strengthen
themselves through useful learning and experience. They will thus
be able to benefit themselves and their community.
However, it is crucial to understand the Prophet’s assurance
that both strong and weak believers have goodness. Indeed, to be
a believer ensures goodness in every person, but the strong one
has a higher position which makes them better and dearer to God,
the Exalted.
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7
‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān reports that God’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) said: “Whoever performs
the ablution for prayer and he performs it well,
then walks to [join] the obligatory prayer and he
offers it with the congregation shall be forgiven
his sins by God.” [Related by Muslim].
Explanation
In this hadith, the Prophet tells us of a splendid action that God
rewards generously. This reward is the forgiveness of sins. The
action is related to prayer, and it consists of three matters which a
Muslim does in obedience to God and to draw closer to Him:
1 Performing the ablution, or wudu, well. This means
that the ablution is done perfectly, making sure that
every part of one’s body involved in the ablution is
washed well.
2 To walk to the mosque intending to offer the obligatory
prayer due.
3 To offer this obligatory prayer with the Muslim congregation.
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When a person fulfills this, doing his ablution well and thoroughly,
then walks to the mosque and offers his prayer with the congregation,
he is sure to earn this generous reward, namely, the
forgiveness of his sins. Those who are forgiven their sins are those
who attain success both in this present life and in the life to come.
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8
Abu Hurayrah said that God’s Messenger (peace
be upon him) said: “Whoever intentionally attributes
to me a statement I did not say shall take
his seat in the Fire.” [Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Explanation
Telling a lie in a statement attributed to the Prophet (peace
be upon him) is one of the gravest sins. Therefore, a person who
composes a statement and claims that it was said by the Prophet
(peace be upon him) commits a monstrous sin. Moreover, a person
who quotes a fabricated hadith without explaining that it is fabricated
perpetrates an injustice. Such a deed is truly foul.
Regrettably, some false hadiths are widely circulated. It is even
more unfortunate that some good and well-intentioned people
help to circulate such false hadiths. This is a grave error that we
must counsel one another against committing. To lie to the Prophet
(peace be upon him) is the worst type of lying.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “A false attribution to
me is unlike falsely attributing something to anyone else. Whoever
intentionally attributes to me a statement I did not say
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shall take his seat in the Fire.” [Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim].
He also said: “Whoever attributes a hadith to me, knowing
that it is false is one of the liars.” [Related by al-Tirmidhī and he
graded it as authentic].
Therefore, it is our duty to make sure that any hadith we quote is
authentic before we attribute it to the Prophet (peace be upon him).
It is an aspect of God’s grace that it is easy for us in the present
time to verify the authenticity of hadiths through reference to specialized
books and reliable websites. Among the best-known and
reliable books in this area are the hadith anthologies published by
Shaykh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, may God bestow mercy
on his soul.
On the internet, reference may be made to the following websites:
.تذكر هنا أسماء المواقع وعناوينها بالانكليزية
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9
‘Abdullāh ibn Mas’ūd reports that God’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) said: “A person with an
atom weight of arrogance in his heart will not
enter Heaven.” [Related by Muslim].
Explanation
Islam promotes good manners and moral values. As such, it
urges its followers to be kind and show humility when they deal with
people. It forbids arrogance and conceit.
In this hadith, the Prophet warns arrogant people who look at
others with contempt, treating them with disdain. As the Prophet
states, such conceited people shall not be admitted into Heaven.
Therefore, we pray to God to remain free of such behaviour.
As the Prophet says: “A person with an atom weight of arrogance
in his heart will not enter Heaven,” he stresses that arrogance
is a very grave matter, even though it may be very little. The
Prophet stresses this by speaking about an infinitesimal measure
of arrogance: an atom’s weight.
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The Prophet defines arrogance, stating that “arrogance is to
be scornful of the truth and contemptuous of people.” [Related by
Muslim].
Another pointer to the prohibition of arrogance is the hadith that
quotes the Prophet: “He who gives himself airs or walks with an
arrogant gait will find out when he meets God, the Mighty and
Exalted, that He is displeased with him.” [Related by al-Bukhari in
al-Adab al-Mufrad, with a sound chain of transmission].
Now that we realize that arrogance is a grave sin and foul behaviour,
we must ensure that we steer away from it. We should do
every good thing contrary to arrogance, such as welcoming good
advice and submitting to the truth. We should be kind to the poor,
weak, and lowly in society. We should take care of them and behave
with humility towards all people. Such behaviour keeps our
hearts pure and ensures that we are free of arrogance and conceit.
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10
‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān reports that God’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) said: “The best of you are
those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.” [Related
by al-Bukhari].
Explanation
This hadith highlights the importance of learning and teaching
the Qur’an. The Prophet tells us that those people who learn the
Qur’an and teach it are the best of people.
Abu ‘Abd al-Raḥmān al-Sulamī, who narrated this hadith from
‘Uthmān, belonged to the tābi’īn generation, which followed the
generation of the Prophet’s companions. He said: “This is what
committed me to this position.” He was referring to the fact that
he taught the Qur’an for several decades. His desire was to be
included among those ‘best of people’ to which the hadith refers.
Therefore, it is the duty of every Muslim, male or female, to
make a solid effort to learn the Qur’an and ensure that they can
recite it accurately. When one has mastered that, one may take part
in teaching it to others.
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One of the most valuable things a person can do is join one
of the circles of Qur’anic memorization in a mosque or a school.
These provide the best service in teaching the Qur’an. Those who
join one of them are doing well and are clearly guided. Their way is
well enlightened.
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11
Abu Hurayrah reports that God’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) said: “Two phrases are easy
to pronounce, heavy in [God’s] scales, and
loved by the Lord of Grace: ‘Limitless is God in
His glory and to Him all praise is due, and Limitless
in His glory is God the Supreme.’” [Related by
al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Explanation
The Prophet (peace be upon him) urges us to remember God
much and often, explaining the importance of such remembrance
and repetition of phrases of God’s glorification. He recommends us
to say certain texts of remembrance and glorification in the morning,
evening, when going to bed and when we wake up. All these
are documented in numerous books devoted to this subject, such
as al-Adhkār by Imam al-Nawawī, Tuḥfat al-Akhyār by ‘Abd al-’Azīz
ibn Bāz and Ḥiṣn al-Muslim by al-Qaḥṭānī.
Other phrases of God’s remembrance are recommended to say
at all times, frequently, without specifying a time or a number. These
include Subḥān Allah (limitless is God in His glory), al-ḥamd lillāh
(All praise is due to God), lā ilāha illa Allah (There is no deity other
than God), Allah akbar (God is the Greatest), and lā ḥawla walā
quwwata illa billāh (no effort or power exists except by God’s will).
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The two phrases mentioned in this hadith are also in this category.
These are Subḥān Allah wa biḥamdih (Limitless is God in His
glory and to Him all praise is due) and Subḥān Allah al-aẓīm (God the
Supreme is Limitless in His glory). The Prophet (peace be upon him)
tells us that these phrases have three unique features. They are:
1 Easy to pronounce, very easy to learn, and are repeated
often.
2 Heavy in [God’s] scales, which means that they are
richly rewarded by God so that the one who repeats
them frequently enriches his balance of good deeds;
and
3 Loved by the Lord of Grace. This means that God,
Blessed and Exalted, loves them, which stresses
their importance.
Therefore, we should be make sure to learn these two phrases
and those similar to them and say them often and frequently to earn
God’s rich reward.
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12
Abu Hurayrah said: “My friend (peace be upon
him) urged me to maintain three things: fasting
three days in every month, praying two rak’ahs
in the mid-morning and praying Witr before I go
to bed.” [Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Explanation
Abu Hurayrah was a distinguished companion of the Prophet
and was closely associated with him. He tells us in this hadith of
the Prophet’s strong recommendation, describing the Prophet as
khalīlī, which means ‘my close friend’. It signifies a bond of strong
love between two persons. In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah mentions
three matters the Prophet recommended him to do regularly.
The first recommendation is to fast three days every month.
This is a highly beneficial practice recommended by the Prophet
who tells us that a person who ensures to fast three days in every
month earns the reward of fasting throughout one’s life. This is an
aspect of God’s rich reward which He bestows on His devoted servants.
