Selected Sayings (Teachings/Traditions) Of Prophet Muhammad

PREFACE

Islam is a great religion. The secret of its greatness lies in the complete and perfect teachings of the Holy Quran and in the fact that the Founder of Islam, the Holy Prophet  Muhammad peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, practiced these teachings to the fullest extent. He thus became a perfect and living example of what he taught.

The deep and unbreakable relationship between his practice and teachings left an indelible impression on his Companions. After his death, when his wife Ayesha was asked  about the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, her answer was: “His life was the Quran“.

There was no contradiction between his word and the Word of God. His revelation was pure, without the least reflection of his personal desires. The Holy Quran bears this  testimony about him: 

“He does not say anything from his own self; all his sayings are in accordance with Divine revelation.” [Quran 53: 4-5]


No wonder then that he is presented in the Holy Quran as a perfect model for the whole of mankind and for all times to come. God Almighty says in the Holy Quran:

“For you there is a noble example in the Prophet of God.” [Quran 33: 22]


Here, a short selection of Ahadith (Arabic plural form of Hadeeth/hadith, which means a saying of Prophet Muhammad) , that is, Traditions regarding the life, actions and  sayings of the Holy Prophet,peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is presented. A study of these sayings provides a brief introduction to the everyday life of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, as well as to his prayers, high moral standards, and his style of preaching.

Though some Traditions are reported to have been written during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, most of them were committed  to writing some 200 years after his demise. Despite the fact that most Traditions were collected after such a long period, they can still be considered highly reliable in the  light of the following:

As the words of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, were held in very high esteem, all of what he said was immediately memorized by his  companions and subsequently repeated, reported and talked about among themselves innumerable times.

The second important factor is that his words were treated with great religious fervor and devotion. Any interpolation or even slight deviation from his original words was  considered a crime for which one was answerable to God. The words used by the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, himself were,

“Hell would be the  abode of a person who attributes to me that which I did not say.”

Thirdly, when people related things about him or from him to others, it was a custom for the receiver of such a message, not only to memorize what he was told, but also to  commit to memory the name and particulars of the person who related it to him, so that if his word was questioned, he could quote the authority.

The fourth important aspect is that the Arabs were famous for their excellent memory, ant that even before the advent of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be  upon him, it was not rare to find among them people who had memorized 100,000 verses of Arab poets or even more. In addition to this, it was a common custom to remember family trees. After the advent of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, the moral standard of his followers was raised to a very high degree, and the habit of exaggeration was particularly condemned. Furthermore, great emphasis was laid in the Holy Quran, not only on truth, but also on the verification of statements. As a result of these factors, the Traditions of the Holy Prophet of Islam, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, were treated with very special care, unknown to other systems of collection of historical material.

In the process of collecting these sayings, Muslim scholars worked so meticulously and so much attention was given to accuracy, that the collection of no other historical  data can be compared with the compilation of the sayings of the Holy Prophet of Islam, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Every link in the chain of narrators of a  particular Tradition is specified in the major works of Hadith. Even the study of the character of the narrators and their reliability developed into a field of research in its own  right. As a result, a new form of knowledge concerning the analysis of Traditions came into being for the first time in human history.

For the benefit of those readers who know very little about Islam, we must mention here that out of the scores of books written on the subject of the Traditions, six are  considered to be of extraordinary importance by Muslim scholars. They are known as the Sihah Sittah (The Six Authentic Ones). Most of the Traditions presented in this  short collection are taken from these six books. The following is a brief introduction to these books and to the scholars responsible for their compilation:

SAHIH BUKHARI:

This book is considered to be the most authentic book after the Holy Quran. The compiler thereof is Muhammad Ismail of Bukhara, commonly known as Imam Bukhari (b. 194, d. 256 Hijra; 816- 878 A.D.).

SAHIH MUSLIM:

Considered second in importance is Sahih Muslim. This was compiled by Muslim bin Al Hajjaj who was a native of Neshapur in Khorasan. (b. 202, d.261 Hijra; 824- 883 A.D.)

JAMI AL TIRMIDHI:

Third in order is Jami Al Tirmidhi. The compiler, Imam Muhammad bin Isa was a native of Tirmidh. (b. 209, d. 279 Hijra; 831- 901 A.D.)

SUNAN ABU DAUD:

Next is Sunan Abu Daud,  compiled by Sulaiman bin  Al Ashah, known as Abu  Daud. (b. 202, d. 275 Hijra;  824- 897 A.D.)

SUNAN IBN MAJAH:

Considered fifth in degree of authenticity is Sunan ibn Majah. It was compiled by Muhammad bin Majah who was from the famous city of Qizwin in Iraq. (b. 209, d.275 Hijra;  831- 897 A.D.)

SUNAN NISAI:

The sixth book is Sunan Nisai. It was compiled by Ahmad bin Shuaib, known as “Nisai” after the city of Nisa in Khorasan. (b. 215, d. 306 Hijra; 837- 928 A.D.)

MUWATTA IMAM MALIK:

Besides the Sihah Sittah (The Six Authentic Ones), there is another very important compilation of Traditions known as Muwatta Imam Malik. The compiler, Malik bin Anas, is commonly known as Imam Malik. This book is not included among the Sihah Sittah as it is primarily considered to be a book of jurisprudence, and the Traditions are quoted mostly in discussions of juristic issues. The authenticity of the narrations quoted in Muwatta Imam Malik can be judged by the fact that all of them are included in Sahih  Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. Imam Malik’s status among the compilers of Traditions is so high that he is known as ‘Imamul Muhaddithin’ (the leader of the compilers), and all of them have borne testimony to his exalted position.


Intentions and Actions

  1. Umar, God be pleased with him, narrates the following while he was addressing from the pulpit: “I heard the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saying  the following: ‘Deeds are determined by intentions alone. Man will only get that which he really intends. The migration of the one who truly intends to migrate towards Allah and His Messenger will lead him to Allah and His messenger. But whoever keeps worldly objects in view will only get worldly objects. If a man migrates intending to marry a
    woman that will be his reward.
    (Bukhari)

  2. Abdullah bin ‘Amr, God be pleased with him, states that he heard the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say: “The true Muslim is he from  whose hands and from whose tongue other Muslims are safe. The true emigrant is he who forsakes that which is forbidden by God.”
    (Bukhari)


The Majesty of the Lord of Honor

  1. Abdullah bin Umar, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, stated, while delivering a Friday Sermon  from the pulpit: “The heavens are rolled up in His right hand. Holy is He and far exalted above the idolatry in which they indulge.” The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be  upon him, further stated that Allah The Almighty says, ‘I am the One Who has complete power to reform, conscious of My Greatness, The Sovereign, The Lofty.” The  Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, kept repeating these words with such force that the pulpit started shaking and we were concerned lest it  should collapse under him.”
    (Musnad Ahmad)

  2. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “There are two expressions which are very  dear to God The Beneficent. They are light on the tongue but are immensely weighty in substance, and they are: (Subhan Allah wa bi Hamdihi; Subhan Allahil Azim) ”Exalted is Allah with all His Glory; Exalted is Allah with all His Majesty.”
    (Bukhari)

  3. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, mentioned that Allah The Almighty states:
    “My  servant transgresses against Me, while it does not behove him to do so. He abuses Me, while it does not behove him to do so. His transgression against Me is  that he says that ‘Allah the Almighty, having once created me, will not resurrect me (after I am dead).’ And his abuse of Me is that he claims that ‘Allah has taken  unto Himself a son,’ whereas I am Self Sufficient, The One on Whom everything else depends. 1 have never begot, nor was I begotten, and there never was one like  unto Me.”
    (Musnad Ahmad)

  4. Jabir, God be pleased with him, narrates that he heard the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, state:
    “The most excellent way of remembering Allah is to proclaim:
    There is no one worthy of worship except Allah. And the best supplication is to profess: All praise belongs to Allah.”
    (Tirmidhi)

  5. Abu Musa al AshAari, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, stated:
    “The case of the one who remembers Allah as against the one who does not, is like that of the living as compared to the dead. The case of the house in which Allah  is remembered and the one in which He is not remembered, is like that of the living as compared to the dead.”
    (Bukhari)

  6. Abu Musa, God be pleased with him, narrates: “Once while we were on a journey with the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, people started exclaiming rather loudly, ‘Allahu Akbar!’ (God is  the Greatest). The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: O’ people! Adopt a course of moderation. You are not addressing one who is deaf or absent. You are addressing The One Who is All Hearing, Ever Present and is  already with you.’
    (Muslim)

  7. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: To Allah belong some angels of high rank who are always on the move in search of people who assemble for the purpose of remembering Allah. When they come  upon an assembly engaged in the remembrance of Allah The Almighty, the angels begin to join them, extending their wings over them, hovering one upon another  until the space between the earth and the nearest heaven is filled with their presence. When people disperse, they too depart ascending back to heaven. Then The  Almighty asks them, (while He knows full well what had happened), ‘Where do you come from?’ They answer, ‘We come from some servants of Thine who were exalting Thee, extolling Thy greatness, proclaiming Thy Unity, glorifying Thee and supplicating Thee. ‘Then The Almighty inquires, ‘What did they beg of me?’ The  angels say, ‘They were begging Thee for Thy paradise.’ Then Allah inquires, ‘Have they  seen My paradise?’ The angels reply, ‘No, our Lord, they have not seen Thy  paradise’. ‘What if they had seen My paradise!’ exclaims Allah. ‘They also seek refuge in Thee,’ continue the angels. Allah says, ‘From what do they seek My refuge?’  ‘From Thy fire,’ they reply. Allah asks, ‘Have they seen My fire?’ The angels reply, ‘No, they have not.’ ‘What if they had seen My fire!’ exclaims Allah. Then the angels  say, ‘They ask for Thy forgiveness.’ Allah replies, ‘That I have already granted them; also I have bestowed upon them all that they ever beseeched of Me, and I have  given them the refuge that they sought of Me.’ Then, the angels say, ‘0 our Lord, there was one among them who was extremely sinful. He was just passing by and  chose to sit a while with them.’ ‘Even him I have forgiven,’ says Allah. ‘They are so blessed that no one who happens to be in their company remains unblessed.”*
     (Muslim)

    (* This is a figurative expression of the ever increasing blessings of God upon such an assembly and should not be taken too literally).


The Love of the Lord

  1. Abu Darda, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said that prophet David, peace be on him, used to  pray in the following words: “0 Lord, grant me Thy love and the love of those who love Thee; and the love of the deeds which will enable me to attain to Thy love. 0 my Lord, make Thy love dearer  to me than my own life, my kith and kin, and even dearer than cold water (to a man dying of thirst in scorching heat).”
    (Tirmidhi)

  2. Anas, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,said: “There are three qualities which, when possessed by  someone will enable him to discover the true sweetness of faith: That Allah and His messenger are dearer to him than anything else; that he loves someone purely  for the sake of Allah; that after Allah The Almighty has saved him from disbelief, he loathes returning to disbelief as much as he abhors being hurled into fire.”  (Bukhari)

  3. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “If a believer were truly aware of the extent  and intensity of God’s punishment, he would lose all hope of attaining paradise. And if a disbeliever knew of the overwhelming mercy of Allah, he would never  despair of paradise.”
    (Muslim)

  4. Waathila, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said that Allah The Almighty says: “I treat My servant  in accordance with his understanding and expectations of Me. So, let him think of Me as he chooses.”
    (Bukhari)

  5. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, conveyed that Allah The Almighty says: ‘I treat My  servant in accordance with his understanding of Me. I am with him whenever he remembers Me.’ Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a servant of His than  one of you would be if he were to lose his camel in a barren desert and then find it unexpectedly. Allah says: ‘Whoever moves towards Me by the span of an open  hand, 1 move towards him by half an arm’s length. And whoever moves towards Me by half an arm’s length, I move towards him by the length of an arm. When he  comes walking towards Me, I run to meet him.’
    (Muslim)

  6. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Once there was a man who committed  excesses against his own-self. When he was about to die, he told his sons, ‘Burn my body when I am dead, pulverize my remains into powder, then go to the ocean  and throw the ashes into the wind. I swear by Allah, I fear that if God gets hold of me, He would inflict a punishment on me which has not been inflicted upon anyone  before.’ Then the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said that the sons did as they had been told. But God ordered the earth to retrieve  and return to all the particles that belonged to the man’s body from wherever they had fallen. Thus the man was brought before God. Allah asked him,  ‘What made you do that?’ He answered, ‘My awe and fear of Thee forced me to do it.’ So God forgave him.”
    (Bukhari)


The Holy Quran

  1. Uthman bin Affan, God be pleased with him, states that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The best among you is the one who learns the Quran and teaches it to others.”
    (Bukhari)

  2. Ibn Abbas, God be pleased with him, states that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The case of one who does not learn any portion  of the Quran is like that of an abandoned house.”
    (Tirmidhi)

  3. Zaid bin Arqam, God be pleased with him, narrates: “One day, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, stood to address us: he praised Allah,  glorified Him, and then exhorted and admonished us, saying: ‘0 people! I am a human being. It is likely that one day a messenger from my Lord will come to me, and  then I will depart from this world. I am leaving two important things among you: the Book of Allah, containing guidance and light. So, hold fast to the Book of Allah and abide by it.’ Thus he aroused our interest and made us excited about the Book of Allah. Then he said: ‘I am also leaving behind the members of my household.’
    He then said three times, ‘I caution you to be mindful of Allah as to how you treat my family members.’
    (Muslim)


The Excellent Conduct of
the Messenger of Allah

  1. Abdullah bin Abi Aufa, God be pleased with him, said: “The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, neither scorned nor shunned the company of  widows and the needy; on the contrary, he always sought opportunities to help them.”
    (Musnad Darmi)

  2. Ayesha,God be pleased with her, states: “The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, never beat anyone, neither a woman nor a servant, although  he fought in the cause of Allah. If he was ever harmed by anyone, he would not avenge himself. But whenever a sacred place of Allah was desecrated, he would take revenge for the sake of Allah.”
    (Muslim)

  3. Abu Saeed Khudri, God be pleased with him, narrates: “The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to feed the camels himself: He would  perform household chores: mend shoes, darn clothes, milk goats, and eat in the company of servants. If a servant became tired while grinding flour, he would help  him at this. He would not feel belittled carrying household goods from the market to the house. He would shake hands with the rich and the poor alike. He would always be the first to extend greetings. He would not disdain accepting an invitation not even so small an invitation as to join in eating dates. He would relieve those who toiled. He was mild tempered and kind hearted. His conduct was excellent and he was always cheerful. He would smile but would not laugh loudly; he would not frown even when vexed. He was humble, but not lowly; generous, but not extravagant. He was tender hearted and merciful to all Muslims alike. He  would never eat his fill to the point where one is likely to start yawning. He would never extend his hand motivated by greed.”
    (Mishkaat)

  4. Abu Musa Al-Ashari, God be pleased with him, narrates that once Ayesha, God be pleased with her, showed them a sheet and a loin, cloth made of thick rough fabric.  She said that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was wearing these clothes at the time of his demise.
    (Bukhari)


The Foundations of Islam

  1. Ibn Umar, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Islam is based on five pillars:
    1. To bear witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah
    and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
    2. To offer the Salat (The formal way of worshiping God).
    3. To pay the Zakat (The obligatory, minimum requirements of
    financial contribution in the cause of Allah).
    4. To perform the pilgrimage to the House of Allah.
    5. To keep the fast in the month of Ramadhan.”
    (Bukhari)

  2. Omar bin Khattab, God be pleased with him, says: “We were sitting in the company of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, when suddenly a  man arrived. He was wearing clean, white clothes and his hair was jet black. He did not look as though he were a traveller and he was not known to any of us. He sat down close to the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his knees touching the latter’s. He said, ‘Tell me something about faith.’ The Holy  Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied: ‘Faith is that you should believe in Allah, His angels, His Books and His prophets; that you should believe  in the Day of judgment and that you should believe in the Divine laws relating to good and evil.’
    (Tirmidhi)

  3. It is reported that once Uthman bin Affan, God be pleased with him, asked for water (so that he could perform ablution, which is a precondition for performing  salat). He began by washing his hands three times; then, taking some water in his right hand, he rinsed his mouth and spat it out; then he cleansed his nose; then he  washed his face three times; he then washed his hands and forearms up to his elbows three times; after this he passed his wet hands over his head; then he  washed his feet up to his ankles three times. After completing his ablution in this manner, he said: “The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said that the one who performs the ablution in the manner that I did and then offers two rakats of prayer exactly as I do without making innovations, will have  his past sins forgiven.”
    (Bukhari)

  4. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Should I not tell you of something which if  you practice it will earn you Allah’s favor and by means of which Allah will expunge your faults and elevate your rank? They said: “0 Prophet of Allah, please do tell  us.” The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said,’ ‘To perform the ablution thoroughly even though one may not feel like it; to walk to the  mosque from a distant place; and, having offered one’s prayers, to await the next prayer eagerly. These are the means of being in a state of readiness to guard the  frontiers.”
    (Muslim)

    [Note: The word ‘ribaat’ covers a wide range of meaning: it literally means geographical frontiers and metaphorically applies to any spiritual value. In this case it  applies to the institution of worship in Islam.]

  5. Ayesha, God be pleased with her, narrates: “The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, would say the takbeer (the words: Allaho Akbar) at the  beginning of the prayer. After this, he would recite the Fatiha (the first chapter of the Holy Quran). When he bowed down, he would not keep his head high nor would he let it droop. Rather he would keep it in a straight line with his back which stayed horizontal during this posture. When he rose from the bowing position, he would  stand upright and then move into the prostrate position. When he raised his head from the prostrate position, he would assume a sitting position and pause a while  before going into the second prostration. After every two Rakats he would sit down to recite the Attahiyat (a prescribed recitation). In this posture his right foot was  placed vertically and his left foot rested horizontally on the ground. He instructed, ‘Do not rest your elbows on the ground during prostration in the manner of a dog.’  And he forbade stretching the legs in a devilish posture. He would end the prayer saying, ‘Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you.’
    (Musnad Ahmad)

  6. Abdullah bin Masud, God be pleased with him, states that he asked the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, which deed was most pleasing to  Allah The Exalted. The Holy Prophet replied: ‘”Offering the prayers at the appointed time.’ I inquired, ‘And after this?’ He replied, ‘Being kind to parents.’ I asked, ‘Which deed after this?’ He answered, ‘Striving in the path of Allah.’
    (Bukhari)

  7. Amar bin Shuaib, God be pleased with him, heard from his father on the authority of his grandfather that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Advise your children to perform the prayers when they reach the age of seven. When they reach the age of ten, you should be strict with them in this  matter, and you should also make them sleep in separate beds.”
    (Abu Dawood)

  8. Fatimah az Zahra, God be pleased with her, narrates that when the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, entered the mosque, he would recite the following prayer: “In the name of Allah; peace be on the Messenger of Allah. 0, my Lord forgive me my sins, and open the gates of Thy mercy to me.” And when he  departed from the mosque, he would offer the following prayer: “In the name of Allah; peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. Forgive me my sins, my Lord and open  the gates of Thy grace to me.”
    (Musnad Ahmad)


Fasting

  1. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Allah The Almighty says that all the deeds  of a man are for his own sake except the fast. ‘The fast is kept for My sake alone, and I am the reward for it.’ The fast is a shield against evil. Thus, when anyone of  you is fasting, he should neither indulge in idle talk nor raise his voice. If anyone abuses him or starts quarreling with him, he should just say, ‘I am fasting.’ Let Allah  the Possessor of Muhammad and his life bear me out: the breath of one who is fasting is purer in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of musk. One who fasts  experiences two joys: he is joyful when he breaks the fast, and he is joyful by virtue of the fast when he meets his Lord.”
    (Bukhari)

  2. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates, that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Of what use to Allah is the fast of one who  does not abstain from lying and from deceit.”
    (Bukhari)

  3. Ayesha, God be pleased with her, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,would remain confined to the mosque (Etikaf) for the last  ten days of the month of Ramadhan. After his demise, his wives continued to observe the (Etikaf) in the same manner.
    (Bukhari)

  4. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, while delivering a sermon, stated: “0 people! Allah  has made the pilgrimage obligatory upon you. So you should perform it.” Hearing this a man asked, ‘Is it to be performed every year, 0 Prophet of Allah?’ The Holy  Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, kept silent. The man put his question three times. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,  then replied: “If I say ‘yes’, it would become obligatory, and you would not have the strength for that.” He continued, “Do not inquire about something so long as I do not tell you about it. Those before you were destroyed because they asked too many questions but disobeyed the prophets. When I command you to do  something, you should perform it to the best of your ability. And if I forbid you to do something, you should abstain from it.”
    (Muslim)

  5. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “When someone performs the pilgrimage for the sake of Allah, and does not indulge in foul talk or commit any transgression, he becomes as pure and innocent as the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Mishkat)


The Zakaat

(Spending in the Way of Allah)

  1. Muaz, God be pleased with him, narrates: “Having appointed me governor (of a region), the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sent for me and told me: ‘You will meet some People of the Book. You should invite them to bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that I am His  Messenger. If they accept this, you should let them know that Allah has made it obligatory to offer the five daily prayers. If they accept this, you should tell them that  Allah has made it obligatory to give alms. These alms are taken from the rich and returned to the poor among them. If they agree to this, do not require the best  of what they possess. And be mindful of the plea of the oppressed because nothing stands between this plea and Allah.”
    (Bukhari)

  2. Khuraim bin Fatik, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Whoever spends something in the cause of Allah is rewarded seven hundred times over.”
    (Tirmidhi)

  3. Anas, God be pleased with him, narrates that Abu Talha Ansari was the wealthiest of the Ansar, (the people of Medina who accepted Islam before the migration of  the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to that town). The source of his income was from date-palm gardens, and the garden most dear to him  was Bayruha. It was situated opposite the Prophet’s mosque. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to enter it and drink its pure and fresh water. Anas, God be pleased with him, says, ‘When the verse: You cannot attain to righteousness unless you spend out of that which you love’ was revealed,  Abu Talha, God be pleased with him, went to the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and said, ‘0 Messenger of Allah, Allah has revealed to you:  You cannot attain to righteousness unless you spend out of that which you love’, and the dearest of my possessions is the Bayruha garden. I give this as charity in  the cause of Allah, and hope that Allah will accept this good deed and preserve it for the Hereafter. Use it, O Messenger of Allah, as Allah directs you.’ The Holy  Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: ‘Excellent! it is a profitable asset. It is a profitable asset. 1 have heard what you propose, but I think you  should give it to your relatives.’ Abu Talha, God be pleased with him,said, ‘I will do as you have told me, 0 Messenger of Allah.’ Abu Talha, God be pleased with him, accordingly divided it between his near relatives and the children of his uncle.’
    (Bukhari)

  4. Adiyi bin Hatim, God be pleased with him,narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said. “Give charity to save yourself from the fire  even if it be by giving a portion of a date.”
    (Bukhari)

  5. Ayesha, God be pleased with her, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “A generous person is close to Allah, close to the  people and close to Paradise but far away from Hell. As opposed to this, a miser is far away from Allah, from the people and from Paradise, but close to Hell. An  ignorant person who is generous is dearer to Allah than a worshiping miser.”
    (Qushariyyah)

  6. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that a person inquired of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, “0 Messenger of Allah, which  act of charity has the greatest reward?” The Messenger of Allah answered, ‘That you give charity when you are in good health, when you yourself stand in need, and  when you are afraid of poverty and desire to become wealthy-if, even then, you are not neglectful. Not that you tarry until your life is ebbing out, and then you say this  much for him and that much for him.”
    (Mishkat)


Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil

  1. Huzaifa, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “I swear by Him who holds my life in His hands, that you must enjoin on people to do good and forbid them from doing wrong; otherwise, it is quite likely that some punishment from Allah may be inflicted upon you.  Then, too late, you will offer supplications but they will not be accepted.”
    (Tirmidhi)

  2. No’maan bin Basheer, God be pleased with him, related that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The case of a person who observes  the limits set by Allah as compared to the one who breaks these limits is like that of a people who cast lots about reserving places in a boat. Some of them are  alloted the upper deck while others get the lower. When those on the lower deck need water they have to pass by those who are above them. They suggest, ‘If we  make a hole in our part of the ship we will not disturb those above us.’ If those on the upper deck let them do as they intend, all of them will be destroyed, while if  they stop them, all of them will remain safe.”
    (Bukhari)


Inviting people to Allah

  1. Sahl bin Sa’d, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to Ali, God be pleased with him, “By Allah! If  Allah helps you to guide a single person to the truth, it is better for you than (the most precious) red camels.”
    (Muslim)

  2. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: ‘A person who invites people to the truth  gets a reward equal to the reward of all those who accept the truth (at his invitation), while nothing will be subtracted from their rewards. Likewise a person who  entices others to sin carries the burden of all the sins committed at his inducement, while nothing will be subtracted from the punishment of those who commit the  sins.”
    (Muslim)

  3. Anas, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Make religion easy for others to follow; do not make it difficult. Similarly, present religion in a pleasing manner; do not make it repulsive to others.”
    (Muslim)


Obligations and  Prohibitions

  1. Abi Tha’labatal Khushaniyi Jurthoom bin Nashir, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Allah The  Almighty has laid down certain obligations: Do not disregard them. He has set certain limits: do not transgress them. He has forbidden certain things: Do not go  near them. He has kept silent about some other things, out of kindness to you, not because of forgetfulness: so do not make unnecessary inquiries regarding them.”
    (Dar Qutni)

  2. No’maan bin Basheer, God be pleased with him, said that he heard the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say: “It has been made clear what is  lawful and what is forbidden. In between the two there are certain things undefined: most people do not know which category they belong to. Whoever keeps away from them safeguards his faith and his honor. Whoever steps into the doubtful is likely to have stepped into the forbidden area. He is like a shepherd who lets  his flock graze around a forbidden area, while there is every danger that the flock may stray into it. Remember that every sovereign has a forbidden area. The forbidden area of Allah comprises the things He has prohibited. Beware! There is an organ in the body as long as it remains healthy, the entire body remains  healthy. The moment it becomes diseased, the entire body will become diseased. Remember that this organ is the heart.”
    (Muslim)


Marriage

  1. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Usually one marries a woman for four  reasons: For her wealth, for her family, for her beauty or for her righteousness. Give preference to the one who is righteous. May you remain humble.”
    (Bukhari)

  2. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The worst marriage feast is the one in which  only the rich are invited and the poor are left out. He who is invited (by a humble person) and refuses to accept the invitation (out of haughtiness) is disobedient to  Allah and His Messenger.”
    (Muslim)

  3. Ibn Omar, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: ‘The most disliked of all the lawful things in the  sight of Allah, The Almighty, is divorce.”
    (Abu Dawood)

  4. Ayesha, God be pleased with her, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The best among you is the one who is best to his  family and I am the best of those who are good to their families.”
    (Abu Dawood)


Good Conduct

  1. Jaabir, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The one dearest to me and the one nearest to me  on the Day of Judgment, will be the one who is most well mannered. The most loathsome from among you and furthest removed from me on the Day of Judgment  will be the boastful, the braggarts and the al mutafaihiqoon.” The Companions inquired, ‘We know the ones who are boastful and those who brag, but who are the mutafaihiqoon?’ The Holy Prophet answered, ‘They are those who are arrogant and spiteful.”
    (Tirmidhi)

  2. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: ‘I have been sent to perfect the best of morals.”
    (Al Sunan al Kubra)

  3. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, stated: “Whoever relieves a believer of his worries  in this world will have his afflictions removed by Allah on the Day of Judgment. Whoever is lenient to someone whose means of sustenance have been straitened,  Allah will be lenient to him in this world and the next. Whoever covers the weakness of a Muslim, Allah will provide him cover in this world and in the world to come.  Allah always stands by the side of the one who is helpful to his brother. Whoever treads a path in pursuit of knowledge, Allah will facilitate thereby his way to Paradise. Those who gather in any of the Houses of Allah to recite the Book of Allah and teach each other, are certainly blessed with tranquility; they are covered by  His mercy and are surrounded by the angels. Allah mentions them to those who are closest to Him. The one who is left behind because of his deeds, will not have  his cause advanced because of the good name of his family.”
    (Muslim)

  4. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “On the Day of Judgment, Allah The Almighty  will say, ‘0 son of Adam! I was ill, why did you not inquire after Me when I was ill?’ He will respond, ‘How could I inquire after your health while you are the Lord of the  universe?’ Allah will reply, ‘Were you not aware that a servant of Mine fell ill and you failed to inquire after him? Had you done so, you would have found Me by his  side. 0 son of Adam! I begged you for food and you did not feed me.’ He will respond, ‘0 my Lord, how could I have fed you, while you are the Lord of the universe?’  Allah will say, ‘Did you not realize that when a servant of Mine asked you for food and you refused to oblige him, if you had fed him I would have appreciated it as if you had done it to Me. 0 son of Adam! I asked thee to quench My thirst, and you refused to do so.’ He will say, ‘ How could I quench your thirst, while You are the  Lord of the universe?’ Allah will say, When a servant of Mine asked you to quench his thirst and you did not respond, had you done so I would have appreciated it as  if you had done it to Me.”
    (Muslim)

  5. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “You can never enrich people with your money alone; so help them cheerfully and with good  grace.”
    (Risalah Qushariyyah)


The Islamic Society

  1. Anas, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “None of you is a true believer unless he likes for  others that which he likes for himself.”(Bukhari)

  2. Abu Hurairah,God be pleased with him, states that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “0 Abu Hurairah, be righteous and you will be  the best of worshipers. Be content, so that you can be the best of those who are grateful. Choose for others what you like for yourself, then you will become a (true)  believer. Treat your neighbor in the best of manners then you will be worthy of being a Muslim. Do not laugh excessively, because excessive laughter causes the  heart to die.”
    (Ibn Maajah)

  3. Abu Yusuf Abdullah bin Salaam, God be pleased with him, relates: “I heard the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say: ‘0 people! Say Assalamo Alaikum! Feed others! Be mindful of your obligations towards relatives! Worship (Allah) while others are asleep! Do this, and you will enter Paradise in peace.”
    (Tirmidhi)

  4. Ibn Mas’ood, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “When there are three of you together, two of  you should not talk to each other excluding the third, as it will hurt him, unless you are joined by others.”
    (Muslim)

  5. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates: “It was the practice of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that when he sneezed he would  cover his mouth with his hand or a piece of cloth, thus subduing it.” Maybe the narrator used another word instead of ‘subduing’ meaning the same.”
    (Tirmidhi)


Being Grateful to People

  1. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “He who is not grateful to people is not  grateful to Allah.”
    (Tirmidhi)


The Good Treatment of Parents

  1. Abu Hurairah,God be pleased with him, relates: “A man approached the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and inquired, ‘0 Messenger of  Allah! Of all people, with whom should I have the best relationship?’ He replied, ‘Your mother.’ The man inquired a second time, And then who?’ The Holy Prophet  replied, Your mother again.’ The man asked a third time, ‘Who then?’ ‘Again your mother’ was the reply. The man asked once more, ‘Then who?’ The Holy Prophet,  peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied, ‘Your father’. According to another version, the questioner asked, ‘0 Prophet of Allah! Who deserves the best of  treatment?” The Holy Prophet replied, ‘Your mother, then your mother, then your mother, then your father and then the next of kin.”
    (Bukhari)

  2. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Poorly is the person, poorly is the person,  again, poorly is the person, the one who lives long enough to witness the old age of his parents, yet fails to earn Paradise (by serving them).”
    (Muslim)


Good Neighborliness

  1. Ibn ‘Umar and Ayesha, God be pleased with them, relate that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Gabriel kept exhorting me about the  rights of neighbors until I was inclined to believe that he would give them even the right of inheritance.”
    (Bukhari)

  2. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Day of  Judgement should not put his neighbor to inconvenience. Whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgement should treat his guests with respect. Whoever  believes in Allah and the Day of Judgement should only say that which is good or else remain quiet.”
    (Bukhari)

  3. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “I testify in the name of God: He does not  believe. I testify in the name of God: He does not believe. I testify in the name of God: He does not believe.’ The Holy Prophet was asked, ‘Who does not believe?’ He  replied, ‘He whose neighbor is not safe from his mischief.”
    (Bukhari)


Kindness Towards the Weak

  1. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “There are some people who look shabby, with dishevelled, dusty hair. Doors are closed upon them in disdain. Yet (they have a station with their God so that) when they swear by Him, He makes their word come  true.”
    (Muslim)

  2. Abu Darda, God be pleased with him, relates that he heard the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say: “Seek me in the midst of the weak and  the poor; verily you are sustained and supported by their labor.”
    (Tirmidhi)


Forgiveness

  1. Mu’az bin Anas, God be pleased with him, related that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The height of excellence is that you should  strengthen the ties of relationship with the one who severs them and be generous to the one who is miserly to you and be forgiving to the one who abuses you.”  (Musnad Ahmad) Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: Giving of alms does not diminish one’s wealth. Allah bestows honor on, and raises the status of, the one who forgives any excess committed against him and who does not treat the transgressor with haughtiness.”
    (Musnad Ahmad)


Table (having Food) Manners

  1. Ayesha, God be pleased with her, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Whenever one of you begins to eat, he should first  say ‘In the name of Allah The Exalted.’ If he forgets to do so in the beginning, then, at the end of the meal, he should say, ‘Bismillahe awwalahu wa akherahu.’ ‘In the  name of Allah, do I begin and end.”
    (Tirmidhi)

  2. Abu Sa’eed, God be pleased with him, narrates that whenever the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, would eat or drink, he would say: “All  praise belongs to Allah who provided us with food and drink and made us Muslims.’
    (Tirmidhi)


Matters of Dress

  1. Hudhaifa, God be pleased with him, relates: “The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, forbade us to wear silk and brocade. He also forbade us  to eat or drink out of gold or silver vessels, saying that they are for them (the non believers) in this world, and for you in the Hereafter.”
    (Muslim)

  2. Abu Sa’eed al Khudri, God be pleased with him narrates that when the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, wore a new dress, he would first mention what type of dress it was, for instance, turban, shirt or cloak, and then he would supplicate as follows: “Allah, Thine is the praise. Thou hast given this to me  to wear. I beg of Thee the benefit that it contains, and beg Thee to help me to put it to the best use for which it was made; also I seek Thy protection against  whatever harm there may be in it and against whatever harmful purpose it may have been made for.”
    (Tirmidhi)


Envy

  1. Abdullah bin Omar, God be pleased with him, says that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, stated: “Do not be jealous of each other. Do not  inflate prices. Do not hate each other. Do not turn your back on each other. Do not make an offer while two parties are engaged in bargaining. Be true servants of God by becoming brothers to one another.” “Muslims are brothers to (other) Muslims. One should not transgress against the other; he should not treat the other with disdain, nor should he forsake him.” “Here dwells taqwa (the fear of God)” said the Holy Prophet and he pointed to his chest three times. Then he said: ‘It is  enough to ruin one to disdain one’s brother Muslim. The blood, the property and the honor of a Muslim is inviolable to another Muslim.”
    (Muslim)

  2. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Beware of the fire of jealousy, because it  consumes good deeds just as fire consumes wood and straw.”
    (Abu Dawood)


Arrogance

  1. Abdullah bin Mas’ood, God be pleased with him, states that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “He who has a jot of arrogance in his  heart will not enter Paradise. Someone said, ‘What about a person who likes to have beautiful clothes and beautiful shoes?’ The Prophet answered, ‘Allah is Beauty  and He loves beauty. (One cannot be called arrogant if one beautifies oneself). Arrogance lies in the rejection of the truth and in looking down upon people.”  (Muslim)

  2. Abdullah, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “You should adhere to truthfulness because it  leads to virtue and virtue leads to Paradise. If a person speaks the truth and remains in pursuit of truth, a time comes when he is adjudged truthful by Allah. Beware  of lying, because lying leads to vice and vice leads to Hell. If a person continues to tell lies and persists in doing so, a time comes when he is adjudged a liar of the  first degree by Allah.” (Muslim)

  3. Abu Bakra, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Should I not tell you about the worst of sins?” We said, ‘Please do, O Messenger of Allah.’ The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Associating anyone with Allah and disobeying  parents.” The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was reclining then he sat up and said, ‘Beware of telling lies.’ He kept on repeating it till we  wished he would stop.”
    (Bukhari)


The Decline of Islam

  1. Abdullah bin ‘Amr, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Surely things will happen to my people as  happened earlier to the Israelites. They will resemble each other like one shoe in a pair resembles the other to the extent that if anyone among the Israelites had  openly committed adultery with his mother, there will be some who would do this in my ummah (people) as well. Verily, the Israelites were divided into 72 sects, but  my people will be divided into 73 sects. All of them will be in the Fire except one.’ The Companions asked, ‘Who are they, 0 Messenger of Allah?’ The Holy Prophet,  peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: They are the people who will follow my practice and that of my companions.”
    (Tirmidhi)

  2. Ali, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “A time will come when nothing will remain of Islam  except its name and nothing will remain of the Quran except its script. Mosques will be full of worshippers, but as far as righteousness is concerned they will be  empty and deserted. Their ‘ulama’ (religious scholars) will be the worst of creatures under the canopy of the heavens. Evil plots will originate from them and to 
    them will they return.” (Mishkat)


The Advent of Imam Mahdi

  1. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, narrates: “When Sura Jumu’ah (chapter 62 ) of the Holy Quran was revealed to the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of  Allah be upon him, we happened to be there in his company. When he recited the verse ‘wa akhareena minhum lamma yalhaqoo bihim,‘ that is, ‘those of them who  would come later and have not yet joined them.’ (This phrase is a part of a verse mentioning the first advent of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be  upon him, followed by a reference to the future events saying that in the latter days also there would be some people who would attain the rank of the earlier  followers of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Apparently, it speaks of a second advent of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah  be upon him, in the latter days, because this sub-clause is governed by the verb used earlier to refer to the first advent of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of  Allah be upon him) one of those present asked, ‘Who are they? 0 Messenger of Allah!’ The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not pay  attention. The man repeated the question two or three times. At that time Salman the Persian was also sitting among us. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of  Allah be upon him, turned to him, placed his hand on him and said, ‘Even if faith ascended to the Pleiades (completely disappearing from the earth), there would be  some from his people (In another version ‘one man’ is mentioned instead of ‘some people’) who would restore faith (back) to earth.” (Bukhari)

  2. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “By Him in Whose hands is my life, the son of  Mary will soon appear among you. He will administer justice. He will break the cross, kill the swine, abolish war (for the sake of religion, under Divine guidance)  distribute wealth, but no one will accept it. In those days one prostration before Allah will be better than the world and what it contains.” In his narration Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, states: [Note that this is the opinion of Abu Huraira, God be pleased with him, not the words of the Holy Prophet, peace and  blessings of Allah be upon him] ‘If you wish you may read the verse,’Wa immin ahlilkitabi illa layu ‘minanna bihee qabla mautihi. Wa yaumalqiyamati yakoonu ‘alaihim shaheeda.’ (AI isa’:160) ‘And there is none among the People of the Book but will continue to believe in it before his death: and on the Day of Resurrection, he  (Jesus) shall be a witness against them.” (Bukhari)

  3. ‘Beware, there will be no prophet or messenger between Jesus, the son of Mary, and me. Remember, he shall be my Caliph after me to my people. Remember, he will  kill Anti Christ, break the Cross, abolish the taking of Jizya (tax collected from defeated people), as there would no longer be any war. Remember, whoever  meets him should convey my greetings to him.”
    (Tabraani)

  4. Anas, God be pleased with him, states that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: Whoever from among you meets Jesus, son of Mary,  should convey my greetings to him.”
    (Durr-e-Manthur)

  5. Thaubaan, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: ‘When you find the Mahdi, perform bai’ah (pledge  of allegiance) at his hands. You must go to him, even if you have to reach him across icebound mountains on your knees. He is the Mahdi and the Caliph of Allah.” (Ibn Maajah)

  6. Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “What a (wretched) state you will be in when  the son of Mary will descend among you while he will be your Imam (religious leader) from among you? In another version it is said, ‘He will lead you from among you.’ (Bukhari)

  7. Muhammad bin Ali, God be pleased with him, said: “Surely two signs will appear for our Mahdi which have never appeared before (as signs of truth for anyone else),  since the creation of heaven and earth. In the month of Ramadhan, the moon will be eclipsed on the first of its nights (of eclipse),* and the sun will be eclipsed on  the middle day (of its days of eclipse). Both these eclipses will take place in the same month of Ramadhan. And these two signs have never occurred before since Allah created the heavens and the earth.” (Sunan Dar Qutni) *[obviously the first night of the month is not meant here, because the moon is not referred to as  ‘hilal’ (crescent) the word applicable to the first three days of the moon’s appearance. Moreover, the moon of the first night can never be eclipsed, not to mention the  difficulty of sighting it]

  8. Sulaiman bin ‘Amr bin Al Ahwas,God be pleased with him, relates that his father told him that he had witnessed the Last Pilgrimage of the Holy Prophet, peace and  blessings of Allah be upon him,: “The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, praised Allah and glorified Him and admonished the assembly, and  asked: ‘Which is the most sacred day? Which is the most sacred day? Which is the most sacred day?’ The people replied: ‘The day of the greatest hajj, 0 Messenger  of Allah.’ The Prophet said: ‘Remember then that your lives, your belongings, and your honor have the same sanctity as this day, this city, and this month. No one will  be held accountable except for his own deeds. A father will not be accountable for the deeds of his son. A son will not be held accountable for the deeds of his father. Remember that every Muslim is a brother to a Muslim. No one should appropriate anything belonging to his brother, except with his permission. Remember  that all interest on loans made in the Days of ignorance is abolished, except for the capital, which remains yours. Do not wrong anyone and you will not be wronged.  So also the interest due to ‘Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib [a close relative of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,] is abolished entirely. All blood  that has been shed in the pagan period is to be left unavenged. The first claim on blood I abolish is that of Ibn Rabi ‘a bin Al Harith bin ‘Abdul Muttalib [a close relative of his] who was fostered among the Banu Layth and whom Hudhayl killed. Admonish each other to treat women with kindness for they are your trusts (You  will be accountable for them). You have no authority over them except if they are guilty of glaring misconduct. If they are, then leave them alone in their beds and  chastise them, but not too severely. If they obey, you have no justification (to be harsh to them), so seek none. Remember you have certain rights over your women;  so also have your women certain rights over you.Your right over them is that they should lead chaste lives. They should not allow any person in your home of whom  you disapprove. Their right over you is that you are made responsible for their livelihood.”
    (Tirmidhi)