Faith and Belief

‘Ubada b. as-Samit said: I heard God's messenger say, “If anyone testifies that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God's messenger, God will keep him from going to hell." Muslim transmitted it.

‘Uthman b. ‘Affan reported God's messenger as saying, “Whoever dies knowing that there is no god but God will enter paradise." Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir reported that God's messenger said, “Two things have results." On being asked by a man what these two things were, he replied, “He who dies a polytheist will enter hell, and he who dies worshipping God alone will enter paradise." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said: We were seated around God's messenger, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and some others being with us, when God's messenger got up and left us. He delayed for some time, which made us fear that he might be attacked by some enemy when we were not with him; so being alarmed we got up. I was the first to be alarmed. I therefore went out to look for God's messenger and came to a garden belonging to the B. an-Najjar, a section of the Ansar, I went round it looking for a gate, but failed to find one. Seeing a rabi’ (i.e. a streamlet) flowing into the garden from a well outside, I drew myself together and went in to where God's messenger was. He said, “Is it Abu Huraira?" I replied, “Yes, messenger of God." He said, “What do you want?" I replied, “You were among us, but got up and went away and delayed for a time, so fearing that you might be attacked by some enemy when we were not with you, we became alarmed. I was the first to be alarmed, so when I came to this garden I drew myself together as a fox does; and these people are following me." Addressing me by name he gave me his sandals and said, “Take away these sandals of mine, and when you meet anyone outside this garden who testifies that there is no god but God, being assured of it in his heart, gladden him by announcing that he will go to paradise." Now the first one I met was ‘Umar. He asked, “What are these sandals, Abu Huraira?” and I replied, “These are God’s messenger’s sandals with which he has sent me to gladden anyone I met who testified that there is no god but God, being assured of it in his heart, with the announcement that he would go to paradise.” Thereupon ‘Umar struck me on the breast and I fell down on my seat.” He then said, “Go back, Abu Huraira”; so I went back to God’s messenger, and I was ready to weep. ‘Umar followed me closely, and there he was behind me. God’s messenger said, “What is the matter with you, Abu Huraira?” I replied, “I met ‘Umar and conveyed to him your message, whereupon he gave me a blow on the breast which made me fall down on my seat and ordered me to go back.” God’s messenger said, “What induced you, ‘Umar, to do what you did?” He replied, “Messenger of God, for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom, did you send Abu Huraira with your sandals to gladden anyone he met who testified that there is no god but God, being assured of it in his heart, with the announcement that he would go to paradise?” He said, “Yes.” ‘Umar said, “You must not do it, for I am afraid that people will trust in it alone; let them go on doing works.” God’s messenger said, “Well let them.” Muslim transmitted it.

Mu'adh b. Jabal reported that God’s messenger said to him, “The keys of paradise are the testimony that there is no god but God.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Uthman said that when the Prophet died some of his companions were so grieved that they almost began to harbour doubts. Remarking that he was one of them, ‘Uthman said: While I was sitting ‘Umar passed me and gave me a salutation, but I did not notice it. ‘Umar complained to Abu Bakr, and the two of them came forward and gave me a salutation; then Abu Bakr asked, “What induced you to refrain from returning the salutation of your brother ‘Umar?” I replied, “I did no such thing.” ‘Umar retorted, “Yes, I swear by God, you did.” I said, “I swear by God that I did not notice you passing me or giving me a salutation.” Abu Bakr then said, “‘Uthman is speaking the truth. Something must have distracted you.” On my replying that it had, he asked me what it was, and I said, “God has taken His Prophet before we asked him wherein this affair provides salvation.” Abu Bakr said that he had asked him about that, so I rose and went to him and said to him, “You for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom are most worthy of it.” Abu Bakr then told me that he had asked, “Messenger of God, wherein does this affair provide salvation?” to which God’s messenger replied, “If anyone accepts from me the confession which I proposed to my paternal uncle1 and he rejected, it will be salvation for him.” Ahmad transmitted it. 1 Abu Talib, the uncle who gave protection in Makkah, but did not accept his religion.

Miqdad reported that he heard God’s messenger say, “There will not remain on the face of the earth a mud-brick house or a camel’s hair tent which God will not cause the confession of Islam to enter bringing both mighty honour and abject abasement. God will either honour the occupants and put them among its adherents, or will humiliate them and they will be subject to it.” Miqdad said, “God will then receive complete obedience.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Wahb b. Munabbih, on being asked whether ‘There is no god but God’ was not the key of paradise, said, “Yes, but every key has wards. If you bring a key with wards the door will be opened for you, otherwise I it will not.” Bukhari transmitted it in a chapter heading.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you makes a good profession of Islam, every good deed he does will be recorded for him ten to seven hundredfold, and every evil deed he does will be recorded as it is till he meets God.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Umama reported that a man asked God’s messenger what faith was, to which he replied, “When your good deed pleases you and your evil deed grieves you, you are a believer.” He then asked what sin was and received the reply, “When you have a besetting sin, give it up.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Amr b. ‘Abasa said: I came to God's messenger and asked, “Who is associated with you in this matter, messenger of God?” He replied, “Both freeman and slave.” I asked what Islam was and he said, I “Pleasant speech and the provision of food.” I asked what faith was and he said, “Endurance and benevolence.” I asked what aspect of Islam was most excellent, and he replied that it was to be seen in him from whose tongue and hand the Muslims were safe. I asked what aspect of faith was most excellent, and he replied that it was a good disposition. I asked what feature of prayer was most excellent, and he replied that it consisted in standing for a long time in humility. I asked him what aspect of emigration (hijra) was most excellent, and he replied, “Abandoning (an tahjura) what your Lord abhors.” I asked what aspect of jihad was most excellent, and he replied that it was when a man’s steed was wounded and his blood was shed. I asked him which hour was most excellent, and he replied that it was towards the end of the darkest part of the night. Ahmad transmitted it.

Mu‘adh b. Jabal said that he heard God’s messenger say, “He who meets his Lord having associated nothing with Him, observed the five times of prayer, and fasted during Ramadan will be forgiven.” Mu'adh asked whether he should not give them the good news, but was told to let them go on doing works. Ahmad transmitted it.

He also said that he asked the Prophet what was the most excellent aspect of faith, and received the reply, “That you should love for God’s sake, hate for God’s sake, and employ your tongue in making mention of God.” “What more, messenger of God?” he asked and was told, “That you should like other people to have what you like yourself, and dislike that they should have what you dislike yourself.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that a man asked God’s messenger, what was the greatest sin in God’s sight, to which he replied, “That you should treat anything as equal to God when He has created you." “What next?’’ he asked, to which he replied, “That you should kill your child for fear that he may eat along with you.”. ‘‘What next?" he asked, to which he replied, “That you should commit adultery with your neighbour’s wife." God has revealed words which verify this : “Those who do not invoke another god along with God, or kill one whom God has declared inviolate without a just cause, or commit fornication..." 1 (Bukhari and Muslim.) 1 Quran, xxv, 68.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “The major sins are associating other objects of worship with God, disobedience to parents, murder, and deliberate perjury (al-yamin al-ghamus)." Bukhari transmitted it. Anas’s version has “false witness”* (shahadat al-zur) instead of ‘‘deliberate perjury." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Avoid the seven noxious things." When his hearers asked, “What are they, messenger of God?" he replied, “Associating anything with God, magic, killing one whom God has declared inviolate without a just cause, devouring usury, consuming the property of an orphan, turning back when the army advances, and slandering chaste women who are believers but indiscreet." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one commits fornication he is not a believer, when one steals he is not a believer, when one drinks wine he is not a believer, when one takes plunder on account of which men raise their eyes at him he is not a believer, and when one of you defrauds he is not a believer; so beware, beware!" (Bukhari and Muslim.) The version of Ibn ‘Abbas contains “When one commits murder he is not a believer.” ‘Ikrima said that he asked Ibn 'Abbas how faith could be snatched away from him, and he replied “Thus (interlacing his fingers and then separating them), but if he repents, it will return to him thus,” and he interlaced his fingers. Aba ‘Abdallah1 said that such a one is not a perfect believer and does not possess the light of faith. This is Bukhari's wording. 1 i.e. ‘Ikrima, Abu Abdullah being his kunya.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, “There are three signs of a hypocrite.” Muslim added, “Even if he fasts, prays, and asserts that he is a Muslim.” Thereafter both Bukhari and Muslim said, “When he speaks he lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he is trusted he betrays his trust.”

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God's messenger as saying, “Four characteristics constitute anyone who possesses them a sheer hypocrite, and anyone who possesses one of them possesses a characteristic of hypocrisy till he abandons it: when he is trusted he betrays his trust, when he talks he lies, when he makes a covenant he acts treacherously, and when he quarrels he deviates from the truth.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Umar reported God's messenger as saying, “The hypocrite is like a ewe which goes to and fro between two flocks, turning at one time to the one and at another time to the other.” Muslim transmitted it.