Faith and Belief

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, “When a dead man comes into his grave he will sit up in his grave neither dismayed nor refractory and will be asked what religion he followed, to which he will reply that he followed Islam. He will then be asked his opinion of this man, and will reply that he is Muhammad, God’s messenger, who brought men the clear proofs from God, and they believed him. He will then be asked if he has seen God, and will reply that it is not fitting that anyone should see God. Then an opening will be made for him in the direction of hell, he will look at it being crushed together, and will be told to look at what God has guarded him from. Then an opening will be made for him in the direction of paradise, he will look at its beauty and what is therein, and will be told that this will be his resting-place, for he followed what was sure, died in that belief, and will be resurrected in this belief, if God will. But the evil man will sit up in his grave dismayed and refractory and will be asked what religion he followed, to which he will reply that he does not know. He will then be asked his opinion of this man, and will reply that he heard people express an opinion which he followed. An opening will then be made for him in the direction of paradise, he will look at its beauty and what is therein, and will be told to look at what God has turned away from him. Then an opening will be made for him towards hell, he will look at it being crushed together, and will be told that this will be his resting-place on account of the doubt he harboured, in which he died, and in which he will be resurrected, if God will." Ibn Majah 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 Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “I may be likened to a man who kindled a fire, and when it lit up the neighbourhood the insects and these creeping things which fall into a fire began to fall into it. He began to prevent them, but they got the better of him and rushed into it. Now I am seizing your girdles to pull you from hell, but you are rushing into it.” This is Bukhari's version, and Muslim has one similar, but at the end of it he quotes him as saying, “You and I may be likened to that. I am seizing your girdles to pull you from hell. Come away from hell! Come away from hell! But you are getting the better of me and rushing into it.”

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.)

‘A’isha said: God’s messenger recited, “He it is who has sent down to you the Book in which are fundamental verses” going on to “no one takes warning but those of insight.”1 She reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you (using the feminine singular pronoun whereas Muslim has the masculine plural) see those who study what is dubious in it, those are they whom God named, so be on your guard against them.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) 1 Quran, iii, 7.

‘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 said that the people of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and expound it in Arabic to the Muslims, so God’s messenger said, “Neither believe nor disbelieve the people of the Book, but say, ‘We believe in God and what has been sent down to us... 1 ’” Bukhari transmitted it. 1 Quran, ii, 136.

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.