Faith and Belief

Zaid b. Thabit said: While we were accompanying God’s messenger who was riding a she-mule in a garden belonging to the B. an-Najjar, the animal shied and almost unseated him. It happened that there were five or six graves there, so he asked if anyone knew who were buried in them. A man replied that he did, and on being asked when they died said it was in the period when the people were polytheists. The Prophet then said, “These people are being afflicted in their graves, and were it not that you would cease to bury, I would ask God to let you hear the punishment in the grave which I am hearing.” Then he turned facing us and said, “Seek refuge in God from the punishment of the fire.” They said, “We seek refuge in God from the punishment of the fire.” He said, “Seek refuge in God from the punishment in the grave.” They said, “We seek refuge in God from the punishment in the grave.” He said, “Seek refuge in God from trials both open and secret.” They said, “We seek refuge in God from trials both open and secret.” He said, “Seek refuge in God from the trial of ad-Dajjal!” They said, “We seek refuge in God from the trial of ad-Dajjal.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone introduces into this affair of ours anything which does not belong to it, it is rejected.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “To proceed: The best discourse is God’s Book, the best guidance is that given by Muhammad, and the worst things are those which are novelties. Every innovation is error.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “The people most hateful to God are of three classes: he who is heretical in the sacred territory, he who wants to introduce into Islam the sunna of the pre-Islamic period, and he who unjustly demands the death of a Muslim to shed his blood.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, “All my people will enter paradise except those who refuse.” On being asked who refused, he replied, “He who obeys me will enter paradise, and he who disobeys me has refused.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir said: Angels came to the Prophet when he was asleep; and they said, “A comparison can be drawn with this friend of yours, so draw one.” One of them said, “He is asleep;” but another replied, “The eye sleeps while the heart is awake.” Then they said, “He may be likened to a man who built a house, prepared a feast in it, and sent one to issue invitations. Whoever responds to the one who invites him will enter the house and eat of the feast, but whoever does not respond will not enter the house or eat of the feast.” They said, “If you interpret it to him, he will understand it whereupon one said, “He is a sleep”, and another replied, “The eye sleeps while the heart is awake.” Then they said, “The house is paradise, the one who issues the invitation is Muhammad, he who obeys Muhammad has obeyed God, and he who disobeys Muhammad has disobeyed God. Muhammad is one who separates between people.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas said: Three people came to the Prophet’s wives and asked how the Prophet conducted his worship. When they were told about it they seemed to consider it little and said, “What a difference there is between us and the Prophet whose former and latter sins have been forgiven him by God!” One of them said, “As for me, I will always pray during the night.” Another said, “I will fast during the daytime and not break my fast.” The other said, “I will have nothing to do with women and will never marry.” Then the Prophet came to them and said, “Are you the people who said such and such? By God, I am the one of you who fears and reverences God most, yet I fast and I break my fast; I pray and I sleep; and I marry women. He who is displeased with my sunna has nothing to do with me.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha said: God’s messenger did a certain thing and gave permission for it to be done, but some people abstained from it. When God’s messenger heard of that, he delivered a sermon, and after extolling God he said, “What is the matter with people who abstain from a thing which I do? By God, I am the one of them who knows most about God and fears Him most.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Rafi‘ b. Khadij said: God’s Prophet came to Medina when they were fecundating the palm trees. He asked, “What are you doing?” and they replied, “We have been accustomed to do it.” He said, “Perhaps if you did not do it it would be better so they gave it up, but the crop was diminished. They mentioned that to him and he said, “I am only a human being. When I issue any command to you regarding your religion, accept it; but when I issue any command to you based on my own opinion, I am merely a human being.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Musa reported God's messenger as saying, “I and the message with which God has entrusted me are just like a man who came to a people and said, "I have seen the army with my own eyes, and I am a simple warner, so flee, flee.' A section of his people obeyed him, and setting off at nightfall, went away without hurry and escaped. But a section of them did not believe him and stayed where they were, and the army attacked them at dawn, destroying and extirpating them. That is a comparison with those who obey me and follow my message, and with those who disobey me and disbelieve the truth I have brought.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Musa reported that God’s messenger said, “The guidance and knowledge with which God has commissioned me are like abundant rain which fell on some ground. Part of it was good, and absorbing the water, it brought forth abundant herbage and pasture; and there were some bare patches in it which retained the water by which God gave benefit to men, who drank, gave drink and sowed seed. But some of it fell on another portion which consisted only of hollows which could not retain the water or produce herbage. That is like the one who becomes versed in God’s religion and receives benefit from the message entrusted to me by God, so he knows for himself and teaches others ; and it is like the one who does not show regard to that and does not accept God’s guidance with which I have been commissioned.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr said: Once when I went at midday to visit God’s messenger he heard the voices of two men in disagreement about a verse coming out to us with obvious signs of anger on his face, he said, “It was just because of their disagreement about God’s Book that your predecessors perished.” Muslim transmitted it.

Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas reported God’s messenger as saying, “The Muslim who offends most against the Muslims is he who enquires about something which has not been forbidden to men, and it is declared forbidden because of his enquiry.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “In the last days there will be lying dajjals who will bring you traditions of which neither you nor your fathers have heard, so beware of them. They will neither lead you astray nor seduce you.” Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “It is enough falsehood for a man to relate everything he hears.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “There was no prophet whom God raised up among his people before me who did not have from among his people apostles and companions who held to his sunna and followed what he commanded; then they were succeeded by people who said what they did not practise and did things they were not commanded to do. So he who strives against them with his hand is a believer, he who strives against them with his tongue is a believer, and he who strives against them with his heart is a believer. Beyond that there is not so much faith as a grain of mustard seed.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone summons others to follow right guidance, his reward will be equivalent to those of the people who follow him without their rewards being diminished in any respect on that account; and if anyone summons others to follow error the sin of which he is guilty will be equivalent to those of the people who follow him without their sins’ being diminished in any respect on that account.” Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “Islam began as a small religion and will return to the state in which it began. Then blessed will be the few ' Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “Faith will shrink back to Medina as a snake shrinks back to its hole.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)