1. Benevolent Treatment of Daughters

اَنَّ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النبي  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ  قالت جَاءَتْنِي امْرَأَةٌ وَمَعَهَا ابْنَتَانِ لها فَسَأَلَتْنِي فلم تَجِدْ عِنْدِي شيئا غير تَمْرَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ فَأَعْطَيْتُهَا إِيَّاهَا فَأَخَذَتْهَا فَقَسَمَتْهَا بين ابْنَتَيْهَا ولم تَأْكُلْ منها شيئا ثُمَّ قَامَتْ فَخَرَجَتْ وَابْنَتَاهَا فَدَخَلَ علی النبي  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ حَدِيثَهَا فقال النبي  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ من ابتلي من الْبَنَاتِ بِشَيْءٍ فَأَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِنَّ كُنَّ له سِتْرًا من النَّارِ

‘Ā’ishah (rta), the wife of the Prophet (sws), said: “A woman came to me along with her two daughters. She then asked me for [charity] but she found nothing with me except one date. So I gave it to her. She took it and then [broke it into two parts and] divided it between her two daughters and did not eat anything from it herself. She then got up and went out along with her two daughters. [In the meantime,] God’s Messenger (sws) came to me and I narrated to him her story. At this, God’s Messenger (sws) said: ‘He who is even slightly tested through the upbringing of daughters, and he deals with them kindly, then this will become a shield for him against Hell-Fire.’”1

عَنْ اَنَسِ بن مَالِكٍ قال قال رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ من عَالَ جَارِيَتَيْنِ حتي تَبْلُغَا جاء يوم الْقِيَامَةِ انا وهو وَضَمَّ أَصَابِعَهُ

 Anas ibn Malik (rta) stated that God’s Messenger (sws) said: “He who brought up two girls till they reached maturity will come with me on the Day of Judgement,” and he joined his fingers [to show how near he would be to the Prophet (sws)].2

2. Reward of Patience in Calamities

عَنْ أبي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ  قال لِنِسْوَةٍ من الْأَنْصَارِ لَا يَمُوتُ لِإِحْدَاكُنَّ ثَلَاثَةٌ من الْوَلَدِ فَتَحْتَسِبَهُ إلا دَخَلَتْ الْجَنَّةَ فقالت امْرَأَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ أو اثْنَيْنِ يٰا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  قال أو اثْنَيْنِ

Abu Hurayrah (rta) stated that God’s Messenger (sws) said to a woman of the Ansar: “If anyone of you loses three children and she shows patience hoping to get reward, she will enter Paradise. At this, a woman from amongst them said: “Even if they are two O God’s Messenger!” Thereupon, he replied: “Even if they are two.”3

3. Insignificance of this World

عَنْ اَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ قال قال رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُوْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِرِ

Abu Hurayrah (rta) stated that God’s Messenger (sws) said: “This world is a prison for a believer and Paradise for a disbeliever.”4

4. Only Good Deeds Count

أَنَسَ بن مَالِكٍ يقول قال رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتْبَعُ الْمَيِّتَ ثَلَاثَةٌ فَيَرْجِعُ اثْنَانِ وَيَبْقَي وَاحِدٌ يَتْبَعُهُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعَمَلُهُ فَيَرْجِعُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَيَبْقَي عَمَلُهُ

Anas ibn Malik (rta) reported that God’s Messenger (sws) stated: “Three things follow a deceased [in his funeral procession], and two of them return and one remains with him: his family, his wealth and his deeds follow him; the family and wealth return and he is left with the deeds [only].”5

5. Wealth is a Trial

اَنَّ عَمْرَو بن عَوْفٍ…  اخبره اَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ … قال فَوَ اللّٰهِ  ما الْفَقْرَ أَخْشَي عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَكِنِّي اَخْشَي عَلَيْكُمْ اَنْ تُبْسَطَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَيْكُمْ كما بُسِطَتْ علي من كان قَبْلَكُمْ فَتَنَافَسُوهَا كما تَنَافَسُوهَا وَتُهْلِكَكُمْ كما اَهْلَكَتْهُمْ

‘Amr ibn ‘Awf (rta) … reported that God’s Messenger (sws) said: “… By God! It is not poverty which I fear for you; however, I fear that you be given abundance in wealth the way those before you were given; then you begin to compete with one another for them as they did and this may destroy you as it destroyed them.”6

6. Gratitude in Deprivation

عَنْ اَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ اَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ قال إذا نَظَرَ أحدكم اِلٰي من فُضِّلَ عَلَيْه في الْمَالِ وَالْخَلْقِ فَلْيَنْظُرْ اِلٰي من هو اَسْفَلَ منه مِمَّنْ فُضِّلَ عَلَيْه

Abu Hurayrah (rta) reported that God’s Messenger (sws) said: “When anyone of you sees someone who is blessed with [more] wealth and [better] physique, he should also see him who has [lesser] wealth and physique.”7

7. Kindness to Widows, Orphans and the Poor

عَنْ اَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ النبي صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ قال السَّاعِي علي الْأَرْمَلَةِ وَالْمِسْكِينِ كَالْمُجَاهِدِ في سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ 

Abu Hurayrah (rta) stated that the Prophet (sws) said: “He who strives [to earn and spend] on widows and the poor is like the one who strives in the cause of God.”8

عَنْ اَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ قال قال رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَافِلُ الْيَتِيمِ له اَوْ لِغَيْرِهِ اَنا وهو كَهَاتَيْنِ في الْجَنَّةِ وَاَشَارَ مَالِكٌ بِالسَّبَّابَةِ وَالْوُسْطَي

Abu Hurayrah (rta) stated that God’s Messenger (sws) said: “One who looks after an orphan whether he is his relative or not, I and he would be together in Paradise like this,” and [one of the narrators of this Hadith:] Malik [explained the gesture of the Prophet] by drawing his index finger and middle finger close together.9

8. Refraining from Showing Off

عَنْ بن عَبَّاسٍ قال قال رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ من سَمَّعَ سَمَّعَ اللّٰه بِهِ وَمَنْ رَاءَى رَاءَى اللّٰه بِهِ

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (rta) stated that God’s Messenger (sws) said: “He who does [good] deeds to have them publicized, God will publicize his humiliation [on the Day of Judgement]. And he who shows off, God will make an example of him.”10

عَنْ اَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ … سمعت رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ يقول اِنَّ اَوَّلَ الناس يُقْضَي يوم الْقِيَامَةِ عليه رَجُلٌ اسْتُشْهِدَ فَاُتِيَ بِهِ فَعَرَّفَهُ نِعَمَهُ فَعَرَفَهَا قال فما عَمِلْتَ فيها قال قَاتَلْتُ فِيكَ حتي اسْتُشْهِدْتُ قال كَذَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّكَ قَاتَلْتَ لِأَنْ يُقَالَ جَرِيءٌ فَقَدْ قِيلَ ثُمَّ اُمِرَ بِهِ فَسُحِبَ علي وَجْهِهِ حتي اُلْقِيَ في النَّارِ وَرَجُلٌ تَعَلَّمَ الْعِلْمَ وَعَلَّمَهُ وَقَرَاَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاُتِيَ بِهِ فَعَرَّفَهُ نِعَمَهُ فَعَرَفَهَا قال فما عَمِلْتَ فيها قال تَعَلَّمْتُ الْعِلْمَ وَعَلَّمْتُهُ وَقَرَاْتُ فِيكَ الْقُرْآنَ قال كَذَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّكَ تَعَلَّمْتَ الْعِلْمَ لِيُقَالَ عَالِمٌ وَقَرَاْتَ الْقُرْآنَ لِيُقَالَ هو قَارِئٌ فَقَدْ قِيلَ ثُمَّ اُمِرَ بِهِ فَسُحِبَ علي وَجْهِهِ حتي اُلْقِيَ في النَّارِ وَرَجُلٌ وَسَّعَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَاَعْطَاهُ من اَصْنَافِ الْمَالِ كُلِّهِ فَاُتِيَ بِهِ فَعَرَّفَهُ نِعَمَهُ فَعَرَفَهَا قال فما عَمِلْتَ فيها قال ما تَرَكْتُ من سَبِيلٍ تُحِبُّ اَنْ يُنْفَقَ فيها اِلا اَنْفَقْتُ فيها لك قال كَذَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّكَ فَعَلْتَ لِيُقَالَ هو جَوَادٌ فَقَدْ قِيلَ ثُمَّ اُمِرَ بِهِ فَسُحِبَ علي وَجْهِهِ ثُمَّ اُلْقِيَ فِيْ النَّارِ

 Abu Hurayrah (rta) reports: “I heard God’s Messenger (sws) saying: ‘The first among people whose fate shall be decided on the Day of Judgement will be a person who was martyred while fighting. He will be brought forth and the Almighty will remind him of His favours. Once the person remembers them, the Almighty will ask: “What did you do for Me?” He will reply: “I fought for You until I embraced martyrdom.” The Almighty will say: “You have told a lie; you fought so that people would acknowledge your bravery and that has [already] taken place.” The Almighty will then order for his punishment and he will be dragged by his face and thrown into Hell. And [then] the person who studied the Qur’an and taught it and [also] memorized it. He will be brought forth and the Almighty will remind him of His favours. Once the person remembers them, the Almighty will ask: “What did you do for Me?” He will reply: “I studied the Qur’an and taught it for Your sake.” The Almighty will say: “You have told a lie; you studied the Qur’an so that you could be called a scholar and memorized it so that you could be called a memorizer and that has [already] taken place.” The Almighty will then order for his punishment and he will be dragged by his face and thrown into Hell. And [then] the person who God blessed with abundance and gave him all forms of wealth. He will be brought forth and the Almighty will remind him of His favours. Once the person remembers them, the Almighty will ask: “What did you do for Me?” He will reply: “I spent [my wealth] in every way that would please You.” The Almighty will say: “You have told a lie; you did this so that you could be called generous and that has [already] taken place.” The Almighty will then order for his punishment and he will be dragged by his face and thrown into Hell.’”11

9. Taming the Tongue

عَنْ اَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ اَنَّهُ سَمَّعَ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ يقول اِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ يَنْزِلُ بها في النَّارِ اَبْعَدَ ما بين الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ

Abu Hurayrah (rta) reported that he heard God’s Messenger (sws) as saying: “A servant [of God] utters words because of which he sinks into the fire of Hell farther than the distance between the East and the West.”12

10. Kindness to Neighbours and Guests

عَنْ اَبِيْ شُرَيْحٍ الْخُزَاعِيِّ اَنَّ النبي  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ مَنْ كَانَ يُوْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ  وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيُحْسِنْ اِلٰي جَارِهِ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُوْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ  وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُوْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ  وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أو لِيَسْكُتْ

Abu Shurayh al-Khuza‘i (rta) reported that the Prophet (sws) said: “He who believes in God and in the Hereafter should show kindness to his neighbours, respect his guests and say kind words or remain silent.”13

11. Sound Morals and Conduct

عَبْدُ اللّٰهِ  بَنْ عَمْرٍو … قَالَ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ اِنَّ من خِيَارِكُمْ اَحَاسِنَكُمْ اَخْلَاقًا

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (rta) reported that God’s Messenger (sws) said: “The best among you are those who are morally sound than others.”14

عَنْ اَبِيْ الدَّرْدَاءِ عَنْ النبي  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ ما من شَيْءٍ اَثْقَلُ في الْمِيزَانِ من حُسْنِ الْخُلُقِ

Abu al-Darda’ (rta) reported that the Prophet (sws) said: “On the Day of Judgement, it will be sound moral behaviour which will carry most weight in the scales of a person.”15

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَحِمَهَا اللّٰه قالت سمعت رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ يقول اِنَّ الْمُوْمِنَ لَيُدْرِكُ بِحُسْنِ خُلُقِهِ دَرَجَةَ الصَّائِمِ الْقَائِمِ

‘Ā’ishah (rta) said: “I heard God’s Messenger (sws) as saying: ‘“A believer achieves the same rank through sound moral behaviour as can be achieved through fasts and the night prayers.’”16

12. Undue Elevation of the Prophet (sws)

عُمَرَ رَضِيْ اللّٰہُ عنه يقول … سمعت النبي  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ يقول لَا تُطْرُونِي كما اَطْرَتْ النَّصَارَى بن مَرْيَمَ فَإِنَّمَا اَنا عَبْدُهُ فَقُولُوا عَبْدُ اللّٰهِ  وَرَسُولُهُ

 ‘Umar (rta) reports: “I heard the Prophet (sws) say: ‘Do not elevate me from my status the way the Christians elevated Jesus (sws) [far] above his status. I am only God’s servant. So, call me a servant of God and His Messenger.’”17

13. Advice to Prayer Leaders

عَنْ اَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ اَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ قال اِذا صلي احدكم لِلنَّاسِ فَلْيُخَفِّفْ فإن منهم الضَّعِيفَ وَالسَّقِيمَ وَالْكَبِيرَ وإذا صلي احدكم لِنَفْسِهِ فَلْيُطَوِّلْ ما شَاءَ

Abu Huraryah (rta) reported that God’s Messenger (sws) said: “When anyone of you leads the prayer for people he should not prolong the prayer because there are the weak, the sick and the old among them; however, when anyone of you prays individually, he can prolong the prayer as much as he wants to.”18

14. Refraining from Lusting through the Eyes

عَنْ جَرِيْرِ بن عَبْدُ اللّٰهِ  قال سَاَلْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ عن نَظَرِ الْفُجَاءَةِ فَاَمَرَنِي اَنْ اَصْرِفَ بَصَرِي

Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah (rta) stated: “I asked God’s Messenger (sws) about the sudden gaze [on a non-mahram woman]. He told me to turn my eyes away.”19

عَنْ عَبْدُ اللّٰهِ  بن عَبَّاسٍ اَنَّهُ قال كان الْفَضْلُ بن عَبَّاسٍ رَدِيفَ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَجَاءَتْهُ امْرَاَةٌ من خَثْعَمَ تَسْتَفْتِيهِ فَجَعَلَ الْفَضْلُ يَنْظُرُ اِلَيْهَا وَتَنْظُرُ اليه فَجَعَلَ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ  صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصْرِفُ وَجْهَ الْفَضْلِ اِلٰي الشِّقِّ الْآخَرِ

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (rta) reports that [once] Fadl ibn ‘Abbas was sitting behind him [on a camel] when a lady from the Khath‘am tribe came over. He started to stare at her and she also stared back. When the Prophet (sws) saw him, he caught hold of his face and turned it to the other side.20

___________________________

1. Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri. Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, vol. 4 (Beirut: Dar ihya’ al-turath al-‘arabi, n.d.), 2027, (no. 2629).

2. Ibid., vol. 4, 2027, (no. 2631).

3. Ibid., vol. 4, 2028, (no. 2632).

4. Ibid., vol. 4, 2272, (no. 2956).

5. Ibid., vol. 4, 2273, (no. 2960).

6. Ibid., vol. 4, 2273, (no. 2961).

7. Ibid., vol. 4, 2275, (no. 2963).

8. Ibid., vol. 4, 2286, (no. 2982).

9. Ibid., vol. 4, 2287, (no. 2983).

10. Ibid., vol. 4, 2289, (no. 2986).

11. Ibid., vol. 3, 1513, (no. 1905).

12. Ibid., vol. 4, 2290, (no. 2988).

13. Ibid., vol. 1, 69, (no. 48).

14. Ibid., vol. 4, 1810, (no. 2321).

15. Abu Da’ud Sulayman ibn al-Ash‘ath al-Sajistani, Sunan, vol. 4 (Beirut: Dar al-jil, 1992), 253, (no. 4799)

16. Ibid., vol. 4, 252, (no. 4798).

17. Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Isma‘il al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 3rd ed., vol. 3 (Beirut: Dar Ibn Kathir, 1987), 1371, (no. 3261).

18. Ibid., vol. 1, 248, (no. 671).

19. Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, vol. 3, 1699, (no. 2159).

20. Ibid., vol. 2, 973, (no. 1334).