Faith and Belief

Abu Umama reported God’s messenger as saying, “No people have gone astray after following right guidance unless they have been led into disputation.” Then God’s messenger recited this verse, “They only put him forth to you as a matter of dispute; nay, they are a contentious people.” 1 Ahmad, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah transmitted it. 1 Quran xliii, 58.

Anas declared that God’s messenger used to say, “Do not impose austerities on yourselves and so have God imposing austerities on you; for people have imposed austerities on themselves and God has imposed austerities on them. Their survivors are to be found in cells and monasteries.” , “Monasticism, they invented it; we did not prescribe it for them.” 1 Abu Dawud transmitted it. 1 ibid, lvii, 27.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “The Qur’an came down showing five aspects: what is permissible, what is prohibited, what is firmly fixed, what is obscure, and parables. So treat what is permissible as permissible and what is prohibited as prohibited, act upon what is firmly fixed; believe in what is obscure, and take a lesson from the parables.” This is the wording in Al-masabih. Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu’ab al-iman, his wording being, “Act according to what is permissible, avoid what is prohibited, and follow what is firmly fixed.”

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Things are of three categories: a matter whose right guidance is clear, which you must follow; a matter whose error is clear, which you must avoid; and a matter about which there is a difference of opinion, which you must entrust to God.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Mu'adh b. Jabal reported God’s messenger as saying, “The devil is a wolf to man, like the wolf which harries sheep, catching the one which is solitary, the one which stays far from the flock, and the one which wanders. So avoid the branching paths and keep to the general community.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who separates himself a handbreadth from the community has cast off the rope of Islam from his neck.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Malik b. Anas, in mursal form, reported God’s messenger as saying, “As long as you hold fast to two things which I have left among you, you will not go astray: God’s Book and His messenger’s sunna” He transmitted it in Al-Muwatta.

Ghudaif b. al-Harith ath-Thumali reported God’s messenger as saying, “No people introduce an innovation without its equivalent being withdrawn from the sunna; so holding firmly to a sunna is better than introducing an innovation.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Hassan said that no people had produced an innovation in their religion without God removing an equivalent amount from their sunna, then not restoring it to them till the day of resurrection. Darimi transmitted it.

Ibrahim b. Maisara reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who honours an innovator has assisted in undermining Islam.” Baihaqi transmitted it in mursal form in Shu'ab al-iman.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that if anyone learns God’s Book and follows its contents, he will be guided by God away from error in this world and be guarded by Him on the day of resurrection from the strictest account. A version renders him as saying that one who models his life on God’s Book will not go astray in this world, or be miserable in the next. Then he recited this verse, “He who follows my guidance will not go astray or be miserable.” 1 Razin transmitted it. 1 Quran xx, `123.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has propounded as a parable a straight path on the sides of which are walls with open doors over which curtains are hanging down. At the top of the path there is one who calls, ‘Go straight on the path and do not follow an irregular course.’ Above that one is another who calls out as often as anyone tries to open any of those doors, ‘Woe to you! do not open it, for if you open it you will go through it.’” He then interpreted it telling that the path is Islam, the open doors are the things God has forbidden, the curtains hanging down are the limits God has set, the crier at the top of the path is the Qur’an, and the one above him is God’s monitor in every believer’s heart. Razin and Ahmad transmitted it. Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman from an-Nawwas b. Sim'an, as did Tirmidhi in a more concise form.

Ibn Mas'ud said, ‘If anyone follows someone’s custom let him follow the custom of one who is dead, for one cannot be sure of the living not being led astray. Those to follow are Muhammad’s Companions who were the most excellent among the people, purest in heart, most profound in knowledge, most unassuming, whom God chose for companionship with His Prophet and to establish His religion. So recognise their excellence, follow their traces, and hold as fast as you can to their character and way of life, for they followed right guidance.” Razin transmitted it.

Jabir told how ‘Umar b. al-Khattab brought God’s messenger a copy of the Torah saying, “Messenger of God, this is a copy of the Torah.” When he received no reply he began to read to the obvious displeasure of God’s messenger, so Abu Bakr said, “Confound you 1 do you not see how God’s messenger is looking?” So ‘Umar looked at God’s messenger’s face and said, “I seek refuge in God from the anger of God and His messenger. We are satisfied with God as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Prophet.” Then God’s messenger said, “By Him in whose hand Muhammad’s soul is, were Moses to appear to you and you were to follow him and abandon me, you would err from the right way. Were he alive and came in touch with my prophetic mission he would follow me.” Darimi transmitted it. 1 Literally, may the bereaved be bereaved of you.

He also reported God's messenger as saying, “My words do not abrogate God’s words, but God’s words abrogate mine, some of His words abrogate others.” Daraqutni transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “Some of my traditions abrogate others just as some parts of the Qur’an abrogate others.” Daraqutni transmitted it.

Abu Tha'laba al-Khushani reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has made certain things binding, so do not cause them to be lost; He has prohibited certain things, so do not violate them; He has fixed certain limits, so do not transgress them; and He, without being forgetful, has said nothing about certain things, so do not search into them.” Daraqutni transmitted it.