Mishkat al-Masabih

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.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “Pass on information from me, even if it is only a verse of the Qur’an; and relate traditions from the Bani Isra'il, for there is no restriction; but let him who deliberately lies against me come to his abode in hell.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Samura b. Jundub and al-Mughira b. Shu'ba reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone relates a tradition from me thinking that it is false, he is one of the liars.” Muslim transmitted it.

Mu'awiya reported God’s messenger as saying, “When God wishes good for anyone He instructs him in the religion. I am only a distributor; God gives.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, “Men are of different origins just as gold and silver are; the best among them in the pre-Islamic period are the best among them in Islam when they are versed in the religion.” Muslim transmitted it.

a man to whom God has given property, empowering him to dispose of it on what is right; and a man to whom God has given wisdom who acts according to it and teaches it.” (Bukhari and Muslim).

sadaqa which continues to be supplied, or knowledge from which benefit continues to be reaped, or the prayers of a good son for his dead father.” Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “ If anyone removes one of the anxieties of this world from a believer, God will remove one of the anxieties of the day of resurrection from him; if one smooths the way for one who is destitute, God will smooth the way for him in this world and the next; and if anyone conceals the faults of a Muslim, God will conceal his faults, in this world and the next. God helps a man as long as he helps his brother. If anyone pursues a path in search of knowledge, God will thereby make easy for him a path to paradise. No company will gather in a mosque to recite God’s Book and study it together without calmness descending on them, mercy covering them, the angels surrounding them, and God mentioning them among those who are with Him. But he who is made slow by his actions will not be speeded by his genealogy.” Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “The first person to be judged on the day of resurrection will be a man who died as a martyr. He will be brought forward, and after God has reminded him of the favour He showed him and the man acknowledges it, He will ask, ‘What did you do to show gratitude for it?’ The man will reply, ‘I fought for Thy cause till I was martyred.’ God will say, ‘You lie. You fought that people might call you courageous, and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into hell. Next a man who has acquired and taught knowledge and read the Qur’an will be brought forward, and after God has reminded him of the favour He showed him and the man acknowledges it, He will ask, ‘What did you do to show gratitude for it?’ The man will reply, ‘I acquired and taught knowledge and read the Qur’an for Thy sake.’ God will say, 'You lie. You acquired knowledge that people might call you learned, and you read the Qur’an that they might call you a reader, and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into hell. Next a man whom God has made affluent and whom He has given all kinds of property will be brought forward, and after God has reminded him of the favour He showed him and the man acknowledges it, He will ask, ‘What did you do to show gratitude for it?’ The man will reply, ‘I have not neglected to give liberally for Thy sake to all the causes approved by Thee for this purpose.’ God will say, ‘You lie. You did it that people might call you generous, and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into hell.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “God does not take away knowledge by removing it from men, but takes it away by taking away the learned, so that when He leaves no learned man, men will take ignorant men as leaders. Causes will be presented to them and they will pass judgement without knowledge, erring and leading others into error.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Shaqiq said that ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud used to exhort the people every Thursday. A man said, “ I wish, Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman , that you would give us a daily exhortation.” He replied, “My dislike of wearying you prevents me from that, so I am considerate in my exhortations to you as God’s messenger was to us for fear of causing us aversion.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said that when the Prophet made a statement he repeated it three times so that it would be understood, and that when he met a company and gave them a salutation he did it three times. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari told of a man who came to the Prophet and said, “My camel has become jaded, so give me a mount.” On his replying that he had none, a man said, “Messenger of God, I can guide him to one who will give him a mount.” God’s messenger then said, “He who guides to what is good will have a reward equivalent to that of him who does it.” Muslim transmitted it.