Riyad as-Salihin

There were two brothers in the days of the Prophet (ﷺ). One of them used to attend the Prophet's circle (to acquire knowledge) and the other used to earn their living). Once the latter complained to the Prophet (ﷺ) against the former (for not earning his living). He (ﷺ) replied, "Perhaps you are being provided because of him"..

I said, "O Messenger of Allah, tell me something of Islam which I will not ask anyone else about it." He (ﷺ) said, "Say, 'I believe in Allah' and then be steadfast"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Follow the Right Path of Faith strictly, and be steadfast; and keep in mind that none of you can achieve salvation through his (good) actions." Someone asked, "Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?" He (ﷺ) said, "Not even me, unless Allah grants me His Mercy and Grace"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Be prompt in doing good deeds (before you are overtaken) by turbulence which would be like a part of the dark night. A man would be a believer in the morning and turn to disbelief in the evening, or he would be a believer in the evening and turn disbeliever in the morning, and would sell his Faith for worldly goods.".

Once I performed the 'Asr prayer in Al-Madinah behind the Prophet (ﷺ). He (ﷺ) got up quickly after finishing the prayer with Taslim, and stepping over the people, went to one of the rooms of his wives. The people were startled at his haste, and when he came out and saw their astonishment at his urgency he said, "I recalled that there was left with me some gold which was meant for charity; I did not like to keep it any longer, so I gave orders that it should be distributed"..In another narration, Messenger of Allah said, "I had left some gold for Sadaqah in the house, and did not wish to keep it overnight".

A man, said to the Prophet (ﷺ) during the battle of Uhud: "Tell me where I shall be if I am killed". When he (ﷺ) replied that he would be in Jannah, the man threw away some dates which he had in his hand and fought until he was killed..

There came a man to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, which charity is the most rewardable?" He (ﷺ) said, "That you should give charity (in a state when you are) healthy and stingy and fear poverty, hoping to become rich (charity in such a state of health and mind is the best). And you must not defer (charity to such a length) that you are about to die and would be saying: 'This is for so-and-so, and this for so-and-so.' Lo! It has already come into (the possession of) so-and- so"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took up a sword on the day of the battle of Uhud and said, "Who will take this sword from me?" Everyone stretched forth his hand saying: "I will take it; I will take it". He (the Prophet (ﷺ)) said, "Who will take it with its full responsibility (i.e., to use it to fight Allah's enemies with it)?" The Companions hesitated. Abu Dujanah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "I shall take it;" and with it he cracked the skulls of the pagans..

We went to Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) and complained to him of suffering at the hands of Al-Hajjaj. He replied: "Show endurance, for no time will come but will be followed by one worse (than the present one) till you meet your Rubb. I heard this from your Prophet (ﷺ)"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions." Then (giving a warning) he said, "Are you waiting for such poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion; or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or disease as will disable you, or such senility as will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected absent, or the Hour, and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter"..

On the day of the battle of Khaibar, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I shall hand over this banner to one who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah will give us victory through him." 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "I had never longed for leadership but that day I expected that I might be called for. However, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) called 'Ali bin Abu Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) and handed the banner to him and said, "Go forth and do not turn around till Allah bestows victory upon you". (On hearing this) 'Ali proceeded a little and then halted and without turning around inquired in a loud voice: "O Messenger of Allah, for what shall I fight them?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Go on fighting till they affirm that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. If they admit that, their lives and their properties will be secured, subject to their obligations according to Islam, and they will be answerable to Allah"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah the Exalted has said: 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (prayer or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him. When I love him I become his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks (something) from Me, I give him, and if he asks My Protection (refuge), I protect him"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah says: ' When a slave of Mine draws near to Me a span, I draw near to him a cubit; and if he draws near to Me a cubit, I draw near to him a fathom. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running."'..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There are two blessings in which many people incur loss. (They are) health and free time (for doing good)".

The Prophet (ﷺ) would stand (in prayer) so long that the skin of his feet would crack. I asked him, "Why do you do this while your past and future sins have been forgiven?" He said, "Should I not be a grateful slave of Allah?".

With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would pray all the night, and would keep his family awake for the prayers. He tied his lower garment (i.e., avoided sleeping with his wives) and devoted himself entirely to prayer and supplication..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A strong believer is better and dearer to Allah than a weak one, and both are good. Adhere to that which is beneficial for you. Keep asking Allah for help and do not refrain from it. If you are afflicted in any way, do not say: 'If I had taken this or that step, it would have resulted into such and such,' but say only: 'Allah so determined and did as He willed.' The word 'if' opens the gates of satanic thoughts"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said. "The (Hell) Fire is surrounded with all kinds of desires and passions, while Jannah is surrounded with adversities.".

I offered Salat (Tahajjud - optional night prayer) with the Prophet (ﷺ) one night, and he started reciting (Surat) Al-Baqarah. I thought that he would bow at the end of one hundred Verses, but he continued reciting; I, then, thought that he would perhaps recite the whole (Surah) in a Rak'ah, but he proceeded on, and I thought he would perhaps bow on completing (this Surah); he then started (reciting Surat) An-Nisa'; he then started (Surat) Al-'Imran and his recitation was unhurried. And when he recited the Verses which referred to the Glory of Allah, he glorified Him (by saying Subhan Allah - My Rubb, the Supreme is far removed from every imperfection), the Great, and when he recited the Verses that mention supplication, he supplicated, and when he recited the Verses that mention seeking Refuge of the Rubb, he sought (His) Refuge. Then he bowed and said: "My Rubb, the Supreme is far removed from every imperfection (Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim);" his bowing lasted about the same length of time as his standing (and then on returning to the standing posture after Ruku') he said: "Allah listened to him who praised Him (Sami' Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal hamd)." Then he stood about the same length of time as he had spent in bowing. He then prostrated himself and said: "My Rubb, the Supreme is far removed from every imperfection (Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la)," and his prostration lasted nearly the same length of time as his standing..

One night I joined the Prophet (ﷺ) in his (optional) Salat. He prolonged the standing so much that I thought of doing something evil. He was asked: "What did you intend to do?" He replied: "To sit down and leave him"..