Ḥadīth No. 21
On the authority of Abū ʽAmr – and he is also mentioned as Abū ʽAmrah –
Sufyān bin ʽAbdullāh, who said:
I said, "O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam which I will not
[need to] ask anyone but you." He said, "Say, 'I believe in Allah,' and then
remain upright."
(Narrated by Muslim)
The request of this companion was a very particular one. It was for advice that
would enable him to live successfully within Islam, but advice so clear that he would not
need anyone to explain further and so complete that he would not need anyone to add
to it thereafter. The reply of the Prophet () was concise yet comprehensive, including
all the meanings of īmān (faith) and Islam, for he ordered him to reaffirm the faith in his
heart and then prove his faith by remaining upright according to its requirements.
Being upright means adhering continuously to the straight path laid out by Allah
(subḥānahu wa taʽālā), which is free from crookedness and deviation. The basis of
uprightness, according to Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddeeq, is tawḥeed and sincerity to Allah. It has
further been defined as complete obedience to Allah and sincerity to Him in faith and
deeds (which is the essence of tawḥeed), i.e., behaving toward Allah with the knowledge
that He alone is one's Lord.
It has been noted that many people have said, "Our Lord is Allah" and then proved
otherwise. Evidence of one's faith is in his behavior, therefore `Umar bin al-Khaṭṭāb
described "remaining upright" as upright to Allah in obedience to Him, not evading like
the swerving of a fox.
A true and certain knowledge that one's Lord is Allah comes from the knowledge of
His perfect and absolute attributes. This establishes in the heart the awe, fear, love and
hope which makes the body subservient in upright conduct. Allah (subḥānahu wa
taʽālā) ordained that we ask His guidance in remaining on the right course in every
rak`ah of prayer, saying:
"Guide us to the straight path,"116
i.e., keep us there and return us to it whenever we err and deviate. And He informed us:
"Indeed, those who have said, 'Our Lord is Allah' and then remained
upright – the angels will descend upon them, [saying], 'Do not fear
116 Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, 1:6.
44
and do not grieve, but receive good tidings of Paradise which you
were promised.'"117
Thus, the outcome of being upright within Islam is no less than security on the Day
of Resurrection and Paradise as promised by Allah (subḥānahu wa taʽālā). Every Muslim
should aspire for this as did al-Ḥasan bin ʽAli, who supplicated, "O Allah, You are our
Lord, so endow us with uprightness."
Ḥadīth No. 22
On the authority of Abū `Abdullāh, Jābir bin `Abdullāh al-Anṣāri:
A man asked the Messenger of Allah (), "Do you consider: if I prayed the
obligatory prayers, fasted Ramadhān, allowed what is lawful and prohibited what
is unlawful and added nothing to that, I would enter Paradise?" He said, "Yes."
(Narrated by Muslim)
Some of the commentators on this ḥadīth have mentioned that the man who
approached the Prophet () with this question was one who had recently accepted
Islam. In light of this fact, certain conclusions may be drawn:
1) The Prophet () wanted to clarify the difference between what is obligatory in the
religion and additional voluntary deeds, for which there is no blame if one does not
perform them.
2) Since the man seemed unwilling at that point to take on more than he mentioned,
the Prophet () did not want to discourage him by adding anything further. He
knew, as he had said to some of his companions on similar occasions, that once true
faith had entered his heart, this man would himself seek to increase his deeds. With
some individuals, particularly new converts and young Muslims, one should not press
beyond the obligatory duties for fear of overburdening them at a stage when they
are not yet prepared to do more than that. And how many youths, having fallen
short of the demands of pious elders, gave up altogether for some years. For this
reason the Messenger of Allah () has said, "Facilitate and do not make difficulty;
give good tidings and do not cause aversion."
118 Thus, the ḥadīth possibly reflects an
allowance due to a temporary circumstance.
3) All of what will be judged by Allah of intentions and attitudes of the heart and
actions and expressions of the body is either lawful or unlawful. Hence, if the man
kept himself from everything ḥarām, which includes the neglect of all obligatory
117 Sūrah Fuṣṣilat, 41:30. Similar words are repeated in Sūrah al-Aḥqāf, 46:13-14.
118 Narrated by al-Bukhāri and Muslim.
45
duties beyond the ones he mentioned, he would thereby enter Paradise. Therefore,
the ḥadīth can also be seen as general and comprehensive.
Although the Prophet () accepted as sufficient the deeds mentioned by this man,
it is known that his companions and all righteous Muslims after them, following his
example and instruction, did not limit themselves to obligations but exerted the utmost
efforts in every kind of additional worship, seeking acceptance from Allah and knowing
that their deeds could never be adequate. In fact, the scholars have always agreed that
to deliberately avoid the Prophet's sunnah is in itself sinful. Supererogatory worship is
encouraged to make up for deficiencies in the obligatory, and imperfection is a human
attribute. Therefore, to neglect the sunnah would amount to a deficiency in one's
religion, but Allah knows best.
Ḥadīth No. 23
On the authority of Abū Mālik, al-Ḥārith bin ʽAasim al-Ash‘ari, who said: The
Messenger of Allah () said:
"Purity is half the faith. And 'al-ḥamdu lillāh'
119 fills the scale; and 'subḥān
Allāh'
120 and 'al-ḥamdu lilāah' fill what is between the heaven and earth. Prayer
is light, ṣadaqah is evidence, patience is burning light, and the Qur’ān is an
argument for you or against you. Each of the people begins at morning, selling
his soul – either freeing it [thereby] or destroying it."
(Narrated by Muslim)
The majority of commentators have considered that "purity" in this narration refers
to bodily purification or ablution. Al-Imām an-Nawawi, however, preferred the
interpretation "purity of the heart" from such ailments as envy, hatred, conceit, etc.,
adding that faith cannot be complete without it. It is possible that the general term
"purity" includes both kinds – physical and spiritual. The phrase "half the faith" is used
in the sense of a portion rather than the specification of exactly one half; in short, a
significant part of the faith.
The texts of the Qur’ān and ḥadīth state that good deeds have weight and that one
whose balance of deeds is heavy at the time of Judgement will have earned a great
reward. Praising Allah with the tongue, and more importantly, in the heart under every
condition, earns as much reward as the good deeds which fill the balance. The addition
119 "Praise be to Allah" or "all praise [is due] to Allah."
120 "Far removed is Allah above every imperfection," i.e., exalted is He above that.
46
to it of "subḥān Allāh" earns additional reward, the capacity of what is between the
heaven and earth. Thus, scholars have inferred that the praise of Allah for His perfection
(al-hamdu lillāh) is greater than the disassociation of Him from all imperfection (subḥān
Allāh), since the capacity of the balance is greater than that of the heaven and earth and
whatever lies between them.
Prayer is described as "nūr," i.e., pure light in a general, unspecified sense. It is light
for the believers throughout their worldly life, enlightening their hearts and minds and
showing the straight path which leads to Allah. It is comparable to the glow of
moonlight (which the Qur’ān also describes as nūr) and is often evident in their faces. It
is also light for them in the Hereafter, within the darknesses of the Day of Resurrection
and on the path which leads them over the Hellfire to Paradise.
Ṣadaqah, which includes both the obligatory zakāh and voluntary charities, is clear
evidence of faith on the Day of Judgement because it will not be found with the
hypocrite. "Burhān" is a form of light as well (a sunbeam) which illuminates and shows
the existence of something, i.e., an evidence or proof.
Patience is "dhiyā’," a burning light (a name the Qur’ān gives to the sun), possibly
because of the great effort that goes into it. Patience in the face of what one dislikes is
a most difficult form of worship requiring energy and power to control and restrain the
self from inappropriate actions or speech. The servant of Allah is guided by the torch of
patience to the wisest course of action.
On the Day of Judgement the Qur’ān will argue in favor of those who recited it and
lived by it, and it will testify against those who ignored it and those who recited it but
did not live by it. Several ḥadīths mention the intercession of the Qur’ān on behalf of its
people.
The final statement compares each day of one's life to a business transaction. Every
person expends his efforts for something in return, and through his deeds and
intentions he will reap either profit or loss. Some exert their efforts for Allah in
exchange for salvation, while others exert them for Shayṭān and thereby obtain
punishment in the Hereafter.
47
Ḥadīth No. 24
On the authority of Abū Dharr al-Ghifāri from the Prophet () among that which
he related from his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, is that He said:121
"O My servants, indeed I have prohibited injustice for Myself and made it
among you prohibited, so be not unjust to one another. O My servants, all of
you are lost except whom I have guided, so seek guidance from Me and I will
guide you. O My servants, all of you are hungry except whom I have fed, so ask
Me for food and I will feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except
whom I have clothed, so ask Me for clothing and I will clothe you. O My
servants, indeed you err by night and by day and I forgive all sins, so seek
forgiveness of Me and I will forgive you. O My servants, never will you reach [so
far as] to harm Me so you could harm Me, and never will you reach [so far as] to
benefit Me so you could benefit Me. O My servants, if the first of you, the last
of you, the humans of you, and the jinn of you were [all] as righteous as the
most righteous heart of one man among you, it would not increase My
dominion at all. O My servants, if the first of you, the last of you, the humans of
you, and the jinn of you were as wicked as the most wicked heart of one man
among you, it would not decrease My dominion at all. O My servants, if the first
of you, the last of you, the humans of you, and the jinn of you were to stand in
one place and ask something of Me and I gave each one his request, that would
not decrease what I have except like the needle decreases [the water] when put
into the sea. O My servants, it is only your deeds I enumerate for you and then I
fully compensate you for them. So whoever finds good – let him praise Allah,
and whoever finds otherwise should certainly not blame except himself."
(Narrated by Muslim)
In describing the importance of this ḥadīth, scholars have observed that around it
revolves Islam, for it deals with major aspects of belief and practice. In it Allah
121 This is a ḥadīth qudsi, i.e., one in which the Prophet () reported what was taught to him by Allah. It
is narrated in his own words as opposed to the Qur’ān, which is the wording of Allah Himself.
48
(subḥānahu wa taʽālā) informs His servants about Himself and directs them toward
proper attitudes and behavior.
Since Allah states that He has prohibited Himself from injustice, it becomes clear
that He has the ability to do otherwise, but out of His favor, generosity and mercy to His
creatures, He willed upon Himself the attribute of justice,122 which is one aspect of His
perfection. Thus, divine injustice is an impossibility, and the believer accepts His laws
and His decrees with that knowledge. Thulm (injustice, oppression, wrong) has been
defined as "putting things in the wrong place," an imperfection from which Allah
(subḥānahu wa taʽālā) is naturally disassociated and far removed. And those who
interpret it as "the administration of someone's property without his permission" point
out additionally that divine injustice is an impossibility because all creation is within the
dominion of Allah, wherein He has the right to do as He pleases. It applies equally to
His decrees concerning the individual lives of His servants and the fate of nations.
Just as Allah (subḥānahu wa taʽālā) refuses injustice for Himself, He has forbidden it
to His servants. The greatest injustice is that which is done to Allah through shirk
(association of another with Him in some aspect of divinity).123 This is the sin which
severs the relationship between the offender and his Lord, opens the door to every
other injustice, and without repentance will not be forgiven.124 Disobedience to Allah by
transgression against others has been described in the Qur’ān as injustice to one's self,
since it is the transgressor who will pay the price in the Hereafter. It is condemned in
the strongest terms by Allah in the Qur’ān and by His Messenger (), who said,
"Injustice is darknesses on the Day of Resurrection,"
125 and warned, "Whoever has been
unjust to his brother concerning his reputation or anything, let him make a settlement
with him over it before [the time when] there will be no dinār or dirham. If he has done
any good work, it will be taken from him to the extent of his injustice against the other;
and if he has no good deeds, some of his companion's bad deeds will be taken and placed
upon him."
126 And he () said, "Indeed, Allah allows time for the transgressor until, when
He seizes him, He will not let him escape." Then he recited,
"And thus is the seizure of your Lord when He seizes the cities while they
are committing injustice. Indeed, His seizure is painful and severe." 127
The second part of the ḥadīth points to the fact that all creatures are in themselves
helpless and dependent upon Allah to bring them benefit and protect them from harm,
both in this world and the next. For without guidance and provision, man is deprived
upon the earth, and without forgiveness he will be deprived in the Hereafter. It also
shows that Allah likes supplication from His servants and responds to it, as He says in
the Qur’ān:
122 Just as He has decreed upon Himself mercy (Sūrah al-An‘ām, 6:54). Many verses of the Qur’ān also
confirm that Allah is never unjust.
م" إ Indeed, shirk is a great injustice." (Sūrah Luqmān, 31:13)
َلا" Indeed, Allah does not forgive that anything be associated
with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills." (Sūrah an-Nisaa', 4:48 and 116)
125 Narrated by al-Bukhāri and Muslim.
126 Narrated by al-Bukhāri.
127 Narrated by Muslim. The Qur’ānic reference is Sūrah Hūd, 11:102.
49
"Call upon Me; I will answer you."128
Supplication may be made at any time and for any need, worldly or spiritual, great
or small. It is especially encouraged during prostration in prayer,129 within the last
portion of the night, throughout the month of Ramadhān, and on the Day of ʽArafah but
is also likely to be answered whenever there is urgency, as long as the supplicant avoids
what Allah has forbidden.130 Further, there is a suggestion that those who have been
blessed with guidance and provision should be grateful to Allah, and those in need of
them should know that He is the ultimate source and that none can help them without
His permission and support.
The meaning of dhaall (lost or astray) in relation to man has been given as
"ignorant" or "without knowledge." For although every human being is born with a
natural inclination towards Islam, actual knowledge of it is necessary for conscious
acceptance. Likewise, additional and continued guidance is necessary throughout one's
life on earth, as is food and clothing.
Repentance to Allah and seeking His forgiveness is a continuous Islamic
obligation131 because of the fact that despite one's best intentions, he inevitably sins or
errs by night and by day. As stated in another ḥadīth, "Each of the children of Adam is a
constant sinner, but the best of sinners are the continually repentant."132 Although
protected by Allah from falling into sin, several narrations confirm that the Prophet
himself () used to ask forgiveness of Allah for minor faults and errors at least a
hundred times each day. In the Qur’ān Allah promises acceptance of true repentance,
the conditions of which are:
1) Sincere regret over what was done
2) Determination never to repeat it again
3) Restoration of the rights of injured parties whenever possible
4) Seeking Allah's forgiveness through supplication and the performance of good
deeds.
Then Allah (subḥānahu wa taʽālā) reminds His servants that by no means can they
ever touch Him with the slightest harm or benefit. And how could they when He is
beyond their reach, beyond their sight and senses, exalted above all creation?
Moreover, anything they do of good or evil can have no effect upon Him because He is
independent of them, and His dominion, as He has willed it, is complete and cannot be
increased or decreased. Rather, the righteousness or wickedness stemming from their
hearts will affect only their own souls.
Proceeding a step further, it is stated that even if Allah Himself willed to give
everything requested by all of His servants at once, it would not decrease His dominion
128 Sūrah Ghāfir, 40:60.
129 Both obligatory and voluntary prayers.
130 Refer to ḥadīth No. 10.
131 As ordered in Sūrah at-Taḥreem, 66:8 and elsewhere in the Qur’ān.
132 Narrated by Aḥmad, at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Mājah and al-Ḥākim – ḥasan.
50
in the least, any more than dipping a needle into the sea decreases its volume. The
secret of that lies in His ability to create anything at any time without delay, limitation or
failure, according to innumerable possibilities. Therefore, one should not refrain from
asking Allah for everything good pertaining to this life and the next, as He is never
unwilling to give and does so freely in accordance with His knowledge of what is best.
And finally, Allah (subḥānahu wa taʽālā) weighs and evaluates every deed and
repays every expenditure of effort. Full and complete compensation will only be
obtained in the Hereafter, although one may see a partial result of his action in this
world as well. Praise and gratitude are due to Allah for enabling the righteous servant
to achieve righteousness. When such a one finds pain and unpleasant experiences in
life, he recognizes them as expiations for his sins which relieve him of their burden
before the time of judgement. As the Prophet () told Sa`d bin Abī Waqqāṣ, "Indeed,
afflictions remain with the servant until he walks upon the earth having no sin left on
him."
133 But when one fails to attain righteousness, having turned away from his Lord,
preferring his own inclinations and taking Shayṭān as a companion instead, he cannot
then blame Allah, the Exalted, who provided him with hearing, sight and intellect and
then sent him ample guidance as a mercy from Himself. Having refused Allah's mercy
to him, he will surely blame himself with bitter regret in the Hereafter when he becomes
aware of his manifest loss. A believer will also regret what good he neglected in worldly
life, therefore, let each one hasten to good deeds so as not to blame himself tomorrow.
133 Portion of a ḥadīth narrated by at-Tirmidhi, who graded it ḥasan-ṣaḥeeḥ.
51
Ḥadīth No. 25
Also on the authority of Abū Dharr:
Some of the companions of the Messenger of Allah said to the Prophet (): "O
Messenger of Allah, the affluent have taken the rewards: they pray as we pray,
they fast as we fast, and they give in charity the excess of their wealth." He said,
"Has not Allah made something for you to do in charity? Indeed, in each saying
of 'subḥān Allāh' is a charity, and each 'Allāhu akbar' is a charity, and each
'al-ḥamdulillāh' is a charity, and each 'lā ilāha ill-Allāh' is a charity, and
enjoining what is right is a charity, and prohibiting what is wrong is a charity,
and in the sexual intercourse of one of you is a charity." They said, "O
Messenger of Allah, does one of us indulge in his desire and get for it a
reward?" He said, "Have you considered: if he were to do it unlawfully, would
he have for it a burden [of sin]? Similarly, when he does it lawfully, he will have
for it a reward."
(Narrated by Muslim)
This ḥadīth contains an illustration of the eagerness of the ṣaḥābah to perform
deeds that would earn Allah's pleasure and reward. It was often evident in the amiable
competition among them and their sadness when circumstances prevented them from
accomplishing all they desired. Here, the poorer of the Prophet's companions
complained to him of their inability to give charities, which they assumed had put them
at a disadvantage in the race for Paradise.
The Prophet () therefore directed them and those after them to other kinds of
deeds, not requiring material wealth, by which people can earn rewards. He also
corrected their understanding of the concept of ṣadaqah (charity), redefining it in its
true and comprehensive sense. As he stated on another occasion, "Every good deed is
a ṣadaqah."
134 Among them are deeds which benefit the person himself, such as the
remembrance and mention of Allah, and those which benefit others as well, such as the
offering of good advice.
Thus, the concept of charity, like that of worship, is not a limited one. This point is
emphasized further by the Prophet's mention of a natural act usually associated with
pleasure. For one might imagine that the sexual act is unrelated to matters of religion,
whereas Islam leaves no aspect of behavior untouched. Every act is either permissible
(and possibly obligatory) or prohibited, and reward in the Hereafter depends upon the
134 Related by Muslim.
52
measure of obedience to Allah in each matter. So when one intends through marital
intercourse to satisfy himself and his spouse so that they will not be attracted to
unlawful relationships or seeks through it a righteous child or any other lawful benefit,
he is obeying Allah and can expect His reward. The same applies to any permissible act
which, through proper intention, becomes an act of worship.135 This is how the Muslim
becomes a worshipper throughout his life, fulfilling the role Allah meant for him when
He said:
"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me."136
Conversely, if the same act were to be performed in a way disobedient to Allah,
punishment could be expected accordingly. The clear balance of divine justice is shown
by this example,137 and in fact, rewards are far in excess of what is deserved by the
obedient servant.
135 This is true of all such ordinary activities as eating and recreation, where one seeks what is lawful with
the intention of strengthening himself for the best performance of his duties.
136 Sūrah adh-Dhāriyāt, 51:56.
137 It also refutes the assertion by supporters of Shayṭān that Islam is largely based upon prohibitions
and threats of punishment.
53
