Mishkat al-Masabih

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

Safwan b. ‘Assal told how, when a Jew said to his friend, “Let us go to this prophet,” his friend said to him, “Don’t say ‘prophet’, for if he heard you he would be greatly pleased.” 1 They went to God’s messenger and asked him about nine clear signs. God’s messenger said, “Do not associate anything with God. do not steal, do not commit fornication, do not kill anyone whom God has declared inviolate without a just cause, do not bring an innocent person before a ruler in order that he may put him to death, do not use magic, do not devour usury, do not slander a chaste woman, do not turn in flight on the day the army marches, and, a matter which affects you Jews particularly, do not break the Sabbath.” He said that thereupon they kissed/his hands and feet saying, “We testify that you are a prophet.” He asked “What prevents you from following me?” to which they replied, “David prayed to his Lord that prophets might never cease to arise from his offspring, and we are afraid that if we follow you the Jews will kill us.” Tirmidhi, Aba Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. 1 Lit. “he would have four eyes.”

no molestation of one who says there is no god but God, neither declaring him an infidel because of a sin, nor excommunicating him from Islam because of an action; jihad continues from the time God sent me till the last of this people fights with the dajjal, being annulled neither by the tyranny of a tyrannical ruler nor the justice of a just one; and belief in God’s decrees.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported that God's messenger said, “When a servant of God commits fornication faith departs from him and there is something like an awning over his head; but when he quits that action faith returns to him.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

God’s messenger recommended ten things to me saying, “Do not associate anything with God, even if you are killed and burnt on that account; do not be disobedient to your parents, even if they command you to quit your family and your property; do not deliberately neglect to observe a prescribed prayer, for he who deliberately neglects to observe a prescribed prayer will have God’s protection removed from him; do not drink wine, for it is the beginning of every abomination; avoid acts of disobedience, for on their account God’s wrath descends; beware of running away from the line of battle, even if the people perish: when people are smitten by death when you are among them, stay where you are ; spend on your children out of your means; do not refrain from using the rod in training them; and cause them to fear God.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Hudhaifa said, “Hypocrisy existed only in the time of God’s messenger, whereas to-day there are only unbelief and faith.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “God forgives my people the evil promptings which arise within them so long as they do not act upon them or speak about them.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said that some of the companions of God’s messenger came to the Prophet to consult him saying, “We have thoughts which none of us dare to talk about.” He said, “Have you experienced that?” and when they replied that they had, he said, “That is clear faith.” Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “The devil comes to one of you saying, ‘Who created this? Who created that?’ even saying, ‘Who created your Lord?’ "When he gets that length the man should seek refuge in God and stop thinking about it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “People will continue to ask one another questions till someone says this, ‘God created all things, but who created God?’ Whoever comes across anything of that nature should say, ‘I believe in God and in His messengers.’ ” (Bukhari and Muslim.)