1.

Islam has been built on five pillars: testifying that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger, performance of prayers; alms giving (zakat); pilgrimage to the Ka‘bah; fasting during Ramadan.

2.

Anyone who befriends another or makes an enemy, gives or withholds, has perfected his faith, if what he does is done for the sake of the Almighty.

3.

When the Prophet Muhammad PBUH was asked by Amr ibn Abasah what was meant by faith, he replied ‘Self-restraint and gentleness.’

4.

One who is willing to accept God as his Lord, Islam as his religion and Muhammad as God’s Messenger has savoured the taste of faith.

5.

Simplicity, Too, is a part of faith.

6.

A man without trust is a man without faith. And a man who does not fulfill his promises is a man without faith.

7.

Greed and faith can never co-exist in the human heart.

8.

9.

Actions are judged by their intention and every man shall be judged accordingly. Thus he whose migration was for Allah and His Messenger; his migration was for Allah and His Messenger; and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some women in marriage, his migration was for that for which he migrated.

10.

When you see sycophants, throw dust in their faces.

HADITH OF MUSLIM ON THE AUTHORITY OF MIQDAD IBN ASWAD.

11.

Asked what reward there would be for a man who desired fame and compensation for having performed jihad, the Prophet said, ‘there is no reward for him.’ When asked the same question three times over, the Prophet gave the same reply each time. Then he said, ‘God accepts those deeds which were performed purely for His sake and which were meant to seek His pleasure.’

12.

Keep Your faith pure. Even the smallest good deed will suffice.

ACCORDING TO AL-MUNDHIRI WHEN MUADH IBN JABAL WAS APPOINTED RULER OF YEMEN, HE ASKED THE PROPHET FOR ADVICE AND WAS GIVEN THE ABOVE REPLY.

13.

One who says his prayers (Salat) with great propriety when he is in the presence of others, but does so without proper reverence when he is alone, is committing an act of contempt for his Lord.

HADITH OF AL-MUNDHIRI ON THE AUTHORITY OF ABDULLAH IBN MASUD.

14.

When a person repents, God’s pleasure at this is even greater than that of one who dismounts from his camel, loses it in the desert and then finds it again all of a sudden.

HADITH OF AL-BUKHARI AND MUSLIM ON THE AUTHORITY OF ANAS IBN MALIK.

15.

According to Amr ibn al-As, the Prophet Muhammad PBUH sent word to him to come clad in armour and bearing arms. ‘When I came into his presence, he was performing his ablutions.’ The Prophet said to me, ‘O Amr, I am sending you on a mission. God will bring you back safe and will reward you with spoils.’ I said, ‘O Prophet, I did not migrate for the spoils. It was for the sake of God and His Messenger.’ The Prophet replied, ‘The best wealth for a good man to possess is that which has been lawfully acquired.’

16.

None of you truly believes until your own inclinations are in accordance with the message I have brought.

17.

God has imposed certain moral obligations, do not abrogate them; He has forbidden certain things, do not indulge in them; He has laid down certain limits, do not transgress them; He is silent on certain matters, do not knowingly argue over them.

18.

There is a covenant of salat (Prayers) between me and the people. Therefore, if a man gives up salat, he is guilty of kufr (infidelity).

19.

Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote to his governors that the most important thing of all to him was prayer (salat). A man who prayed regularly safeguarded his faith. And a man who was found wanting in his prayers would be found wanting even more in other matters.

20.

A salat offered in congregation is 27 times more worthy of reward than the salat offered alone.

21.

Anywhere that three Muslims reside, the prayer must be offered in congregation, otherwise Satan will overpower them.

Adhere, therefore, to congregational prayer, lest the wolf eat up the goat which strays away from the herd.

22.

When you lead the prayer, you should make it short because, among those offering salat there may be some who are infirm, sick and old. But when you offer individual prayers, as you wish.

23.

When I stand for salat, I want to offer a long prayer, but I shorten it when I hear a child’s cry, because I do not want to cause anxiety to the mother.

HADITH OF AL-BUKHARI ON THE AUTHORITY OF ABU QATADAH.

24.

Jabir ibn Samurah related how he used to offer Friday prayers with the Prophet. He said that the latter’s prayer, as well as his sermon were moderate in length.

HADITH OF MUSLIM.

25.

Everything has a cleansing agent. And fasting is the cleansing agent for the body. Fasting is more a matter of patience than of anything else.

26.

If the observer of a fast does not give up false utterances and their pursuit, then God does not require him to give up his food and water.

27.

Fasting is like a shield. When one of you is observing a fast, neither should you indulge in indecent talk nor should you create an uproar. And it someone talks ill of you, or fights with you, you should just say, ‘I am observing my fast.’

28.

The man who keeps a fast in full faith, and for reward in the world hereafter, will be forgiven his past sins. And the man who prays in the night during Ramadan with faith and for reward in the worlod hereafter, will be forgiven all his past sins.

29.

When Ramadan comes, the doors of Heaven are opened, the doors of Hell are closed, the devils are put in chains, and the doors of mercy are opened,

30.

Anas ibn Malik said that they used to travel with the Prophet. Those who observed a fast never found fault with those who did not keep the fast. Similarly, those not observing the fast never said anything amiss to those who kept their fast.

31.

Any man who misses a fast without a reason, such as illness, can never atone for it, even if he fasts for the rest of his life.

32.

partake of sahUr (food, taken a little before dawn during ramadan), for there is a blessing in it.

33.

Abdullah ibn al-Abbas reported that the Prophet made alms-giving on Id-ul-Fitr an obligatory act. As well as providing food for the poor, it was meant to atone for any absurdity or immodesty that may have been committed during fasting in the month of Ramadan.

34.

When you pay zakat (alms), you have done your duty, as is obligatory. But a person who amasses unlawful wealth and then makes gifts to the poor from it will have no spiritual reward for so doing. On he contrary, he will carry the burden of it with him into the next world.

35.

Allah has made the Muslims duty bound to pay zakat (alms). It will be realized from the wealthy to be distributed among the needy.

36.

The owner of any land which is irrigated by rain water or a stream, or which is situated close to a river, is obliged to give one tenth of its produce to the needy. The owner of such land as is irrigated by other methods will pay half this amount.

37.

If a person to whom God has given wealth does not give zakat (alms), he will find that, on the Day of Judgement, his wealth turns into a poisonous snake with two black spots on its head. It will be like a yoke around his neck. Then it will seize him by the jaws and declare, ‘I am your wealth. I am your treasure’.

38.

A believer, who feeds another of the faithful who is hungry, will be fed on the fruits of Paradise by God on the Day of Judgement. And a believer, who serves water To another who is thirsty, will have his thirst slaked from the sealed drinks by God on the Day of Judgement. And if a believer clothes another of the faithful who is in dire need of clothing, he too will be rewarded with apparel from Paradise by God on the Day of Judgement.

39.

AbU Dharr al-GhifarI relates that he came to the prophet, who was sitting in the shade of the Kabah. When he saw me he said, ‘They stand to lose.’ I said, ‘May my parents ransom you. To whom do you refer?’ ‘To those with an excess of riches,’ he replied, ‘who just squander their wealth, heedless of the fact that they can be saved only if they spend generously for a good cause. And there are very few wealthy men of that ilk.’

40.

Giving alms to the poor is a single good deed, but giving alms to a poor relative has the double virtue of giving alms and, at the same time, treating one’s own relative well.

41.

If a man who sets out with the intention of performing Hajj, umrah or jihad meets with his death on the way, he will be granted the rewards of jihad, Hajj or umrah by his Maker.

42.

Asked which deed inspited the greatest respect, the Prophet replied, ‘To believe in Allah and His Messenger.’ When asked what ranked next in order of merit, he said, ‘To perform jihad for the sake of Allah.’ Asked what came after that, he replied hajj mabrUr, that is, performing pilgrimage while remaining free from sin.

43.

A man who decides to perform Hajj should act with promptness, for he may fall sick, or his mount may get lost, or a need may arise that becomes an obstacle.

44.

God’s blessings are for everyone, but a strong believer is better than a weak one. Wish for things which are beneficial to you, and in this, seek God’s help. Do not lose heart. If you are visited by misfortune, do not say, ‘If I had done this or that, it opens the door to Satan.

45.

Young man, (the Prophet said to Abdullah ibn al-Abbas) hear some words of advice: Be mindful of God and God will protect you. Be mindful of God and you will find Him before you. If you ask, ask of God; if you seek help, seek help of God. Know that if all the people were to gather together to give you the benefit of anything, it would be something that God had already prescribed for you, and that if they gathered together to harm you with anything, this would only be as God had already ordained.

46.

Umm Salamah (the Prophet’s wife) recounts an incident which took place when the Prophet was at home with her. He called out to the maid servant, and when she failed to appear, he showed signs of displeasure. Then Umm Salamah peeped out through the curtain and saw the maid playing. The Prophet, who was holding a miswak (a twig for cleaning the teeth) in his hand, said to the maidservant, ‘If I had had no fear of retribution on Judgement day, I would have hit you with this twig.’

47.

On the Day of Judgement, from amongst all those destined for Hell, a particular man, the richest man in the world, will be brought forth and cast into hell for a moment. Then he will be taken out and will be asked, ‘O son of Adam, have you ever known the good things of life? Have you ever seen comfortable days? And he will reply, ‘By God, O Lord, never.’ Then from amongst all those destined for paradise, one who has suffered the most in the world will be brought forth and will be allowed to enter Paradise for a moment. Then he will be taken out and asked, ‘O son of Adam, have you ever seen suffering? Have you ever experienced hardship in your life?’ He will reply, ‘By God, no. I have never suffered. I have never undergone hardship.’*

48.

According to Muadh ibn Jabal, when the Prophet appointed him governor of yemen, he said, ‘Abstain from luxuries, for those who live luxurious lives are no servants of God’.

49.

A man who acquires a stretch of land by tyranny will be made to wear a yoke made of seven earths around his neck on the Day of Judgement.

50.

A man may speak of God’s pleasure without giving it much importance and yet be raised in status by his Creator. A man may say something which is abhorrent to God, without attaching any importance to it, and it may sweep him straight into Hell.

51.

‘A man who has as much as an iota of arrogance in his heart will not enter Paradise’. Hearing these words of the Prophet, a man asked, ‘What if a man likes to dress in good clothes and wear good shoes’? The Prophet said, ‘God himself possesses elegance. And He likes elegance. This has nothing to do with arrogance. A man is arrogant when he refuses to accept the truth and considers others to be inferior’.

52.

God accepts the repentance of a man right to his last gasp, before he dies.

53.

AbU Dharr al-GhifarI, who went to the Prophet for advice, was given this counsel: ‘Fear God, for He is the one Who sets right all that concerns you. Read the Qur’an and keep remembering God. For then you will be remembered in the heavens. And that will be a light for you on the earth’.

54.

‘The heart becomes rusted like iron in water’. When asked how to banish this corrosion, the Prophet replied, ‘Remember death frequently and recite the Qur’an’.

55.

According to AbU Hurayrah, the Prophet recited a verse from the Qur’an about the Day the earth would give its account. Then he asked ‘Do you know what this account will be’? his listeners replied, ‘God and His Messenger know better’. ‘The account the earth will give’, said the Prophet, ‘is the witness it will bear to the deeds and misdeeds all men and women have committed throughout its length and breadth, and to the exact moments of their commission. That is what the earth’s account will be’.

56.

Following the rule of abstinence form worldly things does not mean that what is normally permitted becomes prohibited or that wealth should be allowed to go to waste. On the contrary, such abstinence means that you should place greater reliance on what God intends for you than on what you have in hand yourself. And when misfortune strikes, you should relish its continuance for the reward this will bring.

57.

Anyone who unjustly flogs his servant will be punished on the Day of Judgement.

58.

Love for the life of this world is damaging to the life of the Hereafter. Anyone who values the life of the Hereaftr will be indifferent to the life of this world. Therefore, prefer that which is eternal to that which is ephemeral.

59.

Wise is he who controls his desires and prepares for the life which starts after death. And cast down is he who lives for the love of this world andhas false expectations from God.

60.

On the Day of Judgement the rightful will be given their due. So much so that a goat with horns will be avenged for thegoat without horns.*

61.

The lightest punishment for those in Hell will be two sparks under both feet. So searing will be their effect that the brain will begin to boil like a vessel on the fireplace.

62.

On the Day of Judgement, no step shall a man stir until he has answered questions on five aspects of his wordly existence: his life and how he spent it; his knowledge and what use he has made of it; his wealth, how he acquired it and how he has spent it; adnhis body and how he has utilized it.

63.

The cautious man travels early in the morning. And the early morning traveler reaches his destination. Pay heed. God’s reward is peerless. Pay heed. God’s reward is Paradise.

64.

The man who enters Paradise will live in eternal blessedness. He will never be needy. Neither will his clothes wear out, nor will he lose his youth. Paradise has everything-things which have never been seen or heard of, and which are quire beyond human imagination.

65.

According to Asma’ bint Aba Bakr, the Prophet once stood up and delivered a sermon in which he spoke of the trials that a man would be subjected to beyond the grave. When he delivered this discourse, the believers wept bitterly.

66.

When those destined for Paradise enter it, to each a herald will cry: ‘Now you will enjoy good health forever. You will never fall ill. You will retain your youth forever. You will never grow old. You will be prosperous forever. You will never be needy. This is the essence of God’s promise to you’. Then a cry will go up: ‘This is the Paradise you were promised. You have been made its inheritor in return for your good deeds’ (7:43).

67.

A man thus addressed the Prophet: ‘O Messenger of God, who rightfully deserves the best treatment from me’? ‘Your mother’, the Prophet said. ‘Then who’? the man asked again. ‘Your mother’, replied the Prophet. ‘Then who’? asked the man once again. ‘Your mother’, said the Prophet. The man asked once more, ‘Then who?’ ‘Your father,’ said the noble Prophet.

68.

The Prophet once exclaimed, ‘Shame on him! Shame on Him! Shame on him!’ When asked who the man in question was, the Prophet replied, ‘He is one who had both or one of his parents with him in their old age, yet he failed to enter Paradise’.

69.

AbU usayd as-SaIdI tells of how they were once with the Prophet when a man from the Banu Salmah arrived in their midst. Addressing the Prophet, he asked, ‘O messenger of God, are there any outstanding debts which I have to repay after my parents’ deaths?’ The Prophet, replied, ‘Yes, pray for them and seek forgiveness for them. And fulfill their obligations now that they are gone. And treat their relations with kindness. And respect their friends.’

70.

A man who treats his relatives well in order to return their good treatment of him shows no real love for them. The man who really shows love for his relatives is one who treats them well despite their being unkind to him.

71.

He who satiates himself, while his immediate neighbours go hungry, is not a true believer.

72.

Asma’ bint AbU Bakr related how her foster mother, a believer in polytheism (shirk), had come to her during the period of the treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah. Concerned that her foster mother was a polytheist, she addressed the Prophet, ‘O Messenger of God, my idolatrous (mushrik) mother has come to me and she wants something from me. Should I give it to her?’ ‘Yes. Treat her well,’ replied the Prophet.

73.

A man who has two wives, but does not give them equal treatment, will find half his body lost on the Day of Judgement.

74.

When a man dies, nothing lives on after him, except for three things: sadaqah jariyah (continuing charity),* knowledge which can benefit others, others, or virtuous offspring who will pray for him.

75.

A believer should never loathe a believing wife. If one quality in her does not find favour with her husband, some other quality will be to his liking.

76.

A man once went to the Prophet with a grievance against his relatives. ‘O Messenger of God’, he said, ‘I have some relatives whom I treat with kindness. Yet they show me no kindness. I treat them well and they treat me badly. I show them forbearance and they treat me with brutality.’ The Prophet replied, ‘if you are as you say you are, then it is as if you have smeared their faces with dust. And you will always have God’s help against them so long as you continue to be well-behaved towards them.’

77.

When the Prophet Muhammad PBUH was asked who was the best of all women, he replied, ‘The woman whose husband feels pleased to see her, who obeys when her husband commands, and who does not take a stand about her or her wealth which is displeasing to her husband.’

78.

When a man spends on his family members with the intention of seeking God’s pleasure, then his spending becomes an act of charity.

79.

A person once said to the Prophet, ‘O Messenger of God, a certain woman is said to offer salat (prayers), observe fasts and give alms generously, but she hurts her neighbours by the way she speaks.’ The Prophet replied, ‘She will go to Hell.’ Then the man said, ‘O Messenger of God, a certain other woman says fewer prayers, keeps fewer fasts voluntarily and offers little in the way of alms. She only gives a few pieces of cheese. But she never hurts her neighbours with her tongue.’ The Prophet replied,’ She will enter Paradise.’

80.

When the Prophet was asked by A’ishah to which of two neighbouts she should send a gift, he replied, ‘To the one whose door is closer to your own.’

81.

The Prophet once exclaimed, ‘By God, he is not a believer! By God, he is not a believer! By God, he is not a believer!’ The people asked, ‘O Messenger of God, who?’ ‘The man whose excesses prevent his neighbour from living in peace,’ replied the noble Prophet.

82.

A believer is a mirror to another believer. A believer is a brother to another believer. He saves him from losses. He safeguards his interests in his absence.

83.

According to Anas ibn Malik, the Prophet said to him, ‘ O my son, if you can act in such a way that you spend your mornings and your evenings without wishing anyone ill, then that is how you should always act.’ Then he added, ‘O my son, this is my way. And anyone who loves my ways, loves me. And anyone who loves me will live with me in Paradisse.’

84.

Each one of you is a shepherd. And each one of you will be asked about your flock. A ruler also is a shepherd and he will be asked about his flock. And every man is a shepherd to his family. And a woman is the custodian of her husband’s house and his children. Thus each one of you is a shepherd, and each one will be asked about his flock.

85.

You should visit the sick, feed the hungry and se tprisoners free.

86.

Whenever God makes a man responsible for other people, whether in greater or lesser numbers, he will be questioned as to whether he ruled his charges in accordance with God’s decrees or not. And that will not be all. God will question him even about his family members.

87.

If you show kindness to your servant while employing him in some task, this will weigh heavily in your favour on the Day of Judgement. That will be your reward.

88.

The best person among you is the one who treats his family members well. And I am the best person for my family.

89.

When the Prophet was asked which form of Islam was better, he replied, ‘To feed the people and extend greetings of peace to them- be they of your acquaintance or not.’

90.

On the Day of Judgement, God will say, ‘O son of Adam, I was sick, but you did not visit Me.’ The man will reply, ‘O my Lord, how could I visit You – the Lord of the whole universe?’ God will say, ‘Did you not know that such and such a man had fallen ill? Yet you did not visit him. Did you not known that had you gone there to visit him, you would have found Me there wit him?’

91.

O Muslim women, do not belittle the gift of any woman in your neighbourhood, even if it happens to be a goat’s hoof.

92.

According to Anas ibn Malik, when God’s Messenger said, ‘Help your brother, irrespective of whether he is the oppressor or the oppressed,’ a man said, ‘O Messenger of God, I can help the oppressed, but how can I help the oppressor?’ The Prophet replied, ‘Stop him from committing an act of oppression. That in itself is a form of help.’

93.

According to Abduulah ibn Umar, the Prophet, addressing the people on the occasion of the farewell pilgrimage, exhorted them to listen carefully to what he had to say: ‘All Muslims are brothers. They constitute one brotherhood. Nothing belonging to one Muslim can become legitimate property of another, unless it has been freely and willingly given. Do not, therefore, do injustice to your own selves. O God, have I conveyed your message? Woe betide you. When I am gone, do not become infidels and start killing each other.’

94.

Do not marry women for their beauty. It is possible that their beauty may destroy them. Do not marry them for their wealth. It is possible that their wealth may make them rebellious. Instead, marry them on the basis of their faith. And a black maid who is a believer is much better for you.

95.

The worst feast is the marriage feast to which the rich are invited and the poor are not. And anyone who does not accept and invitation commits an act of disobedience against God and His Messenger.

96.

According to JarIr ibn Abdullah, when he asked the Prophet about a man’s gaze falling inadvertently on a strange woman, the Prophet replied, ‘Turn your eyes away.’

97.

O young people, those among you who are able must enter into marriage. For it helps to divert your attention from women. And it is a safeguard against lust. And those who cannot marry should observe fasts, for fasting too is a safeguard.

98.

There are four reasons for a man to marry a woman: her wealth; her lineage; her beauty; her faith. Woe betide you! Only enter into marriage with one who has faith.

99.

The best gift from a father to his child is education and upbringing.

100.

The best dower is the easy one.

101.

Should I not tell you what is the best charity? To spend on the daughter who has been returned to you (a divorced or widowed daughter), when there is no one else to earn for her.

102.

According to A’ishah, once when a child was brought to the Prophet, he fondled him and said, ‘These children make cowards and misers of the parents. And they are the flowers of the Almighty.’

103.

According to Abdullah ibn al-Abbas, the Prophet cursed those men who try to resemble women and women who try to resemble men.

104.

On the Day of Judgement, what will weigh most heavily in favour of the believer will be his good morals. God abhors those who indulge in shameless talk and use indecent language.

105.

Save yourselves from envy. For envy eats up virtue as fire eats up wood.

106.

It is not proper for a man to keep away from his brother for more than three days, and then when they meet to turn their faces away from each other. The better of the two is the one who greets the other first.

107.

An honest and trustworthy merchant (in the world hereafter) will be with the Prophets, the truthful and the martyrs.

108.

According to AbU MUsa al-Ash arI, the Prophet said, ‘Believers are like the different parts of a building, each one supporting the other.’ Then he demonstrated what he meant by interlocki ng his fingers.

109.

How evil is the man who hoards essential supplies! If God wills it that the prices of merchandise fall, that makes him unhappy. But if the prices rise, that makes him happy.

110.

You will observe that the believers are like the parts of the body in relation to each other in matters of kindness, love and affection. When one part of the body is afflicted, the entire body feels it; there is loss of sleep and a fever develops.

111.

To earn through labour is the best way to earn, provided the work is done with sincerity.

112.

It is obligatory for a Muslim to pay heed to his ruler and obey him, whether he likes him or not, as long as the ruler does not order him to commit a sin. If he orders him to sin, then he is not to pay heed ot him or obey him.

113.

Muslims are brothers. When one Muslim sells something to another, it is his duty to inform the other of any defect in the merchandise.

114.

Avoid falling under suspicion. For suspicion does the worst damage. Do not inquire into the lives of others. Do not pry. Do not exaggerate what others say. Bear each other no malice, and do not hurt each others’ interests. And, by being brothers to each other become the servants of God.

1150.

The best sustenance is that which you earn by your own industry. The Prophet DawUd (David) used to earn his sustenance with his own hands.

116.

According to Suhayl when God’s Messenger passed by a camel and noticed that it had become so thin that its back and its stomach seemed to be touching, he said, ‘Fear God when dealing with these beasts. Mount them when they are in good condition, and leave them in that same state.’

117.

A merchant who hoards goods in order to raise their price is a sinner.

118.

According to Rafi ibn KhadIj, when the Prophet was asked which was the best kind of earning, he replied, ‘That for which a man works with his hands. And honest trading.’

119.

A time will come when people will no longer care about whether their wealth has been lawfully or unlawfully acquired.

120.

It is not just for a man to sell his merchandise without disclosing its defects. It is proper for the vendor to tell the buyer of any defects of which he is aware.

121.

The trader who does not hoard essential supplies receives His sustenance, while the hoarder of essential supplies is cursed.

122.

Allah will show compassion to those who show kindness while buying and selling, and recovering debts.

123.

One who denies an heir his legacy will be denied the legacy of Paradise by the Almighty.

124.

One who makes sacrifices for the sake of God will have all his sins pardoned, except for his debts.

125.

Pay the labourer his wages even before his sweat dries up.

126.

There was a man who used to give loans to poor people. When his assistant had to go to them to recover the loans, he would urge him to be forgiving to those who were not able to pay back his loans with ease, believing that, in that way, perhaps God would show him forgiveness. When that man came face to face with the Almighty, he forgave him.

127.

If a man commits something to your care, be sure to return it to him. Never betray anyone’s trust, not even if the person concerned has failed to stand by his commitments to you.

128.

Save yourself from the curse of an oppressed person, who seeks his rights from God, for God never denies the righteous their rights.

129.

If a Muslim farms the land or plants a tree, and then a bird, a beast or a man eats something from it, he receives in return the reward of a charity.

130.

What is lawful and what is forbidden are both quite clear. But between them are matters which are not clear. A man who avoids the unclear will be even more careful to avoid an open sin. But it is feared that a man who does not baulk at unclear sins will indulge grazing ground forbidden by God. A beast that passes by it risks the chance of straying into it.

131.

On the Day of Judgement, God will not even look at a man who, in a show of arrogance, lets his clothes sweep the ground. AbU Bakr said, ‘The cloth which I have worn around my waist trails no matter what I do.’ To this the Prophet said, ‘You are not one of those who do it out of arrogance.’

132.

One who walks with a tyrant, in the full knowledge that he is a tyrant, in order to strengthen him, is such as has already left the fold of Islam.

133.

A man who borrows things, with the intention of returning them, has them returned on his behalf by the Almighty. A m an who borrows things, with no intention of returning them, has such possessions destroyed by the Almighty.

134.

Anger is the devil, and the devil has been created from fire. And fire is extinguished by water, therefore, when any of you feel angry, you should perform your ablutions.

135.

When any of you feel angry, you should sit down if you are standing. And if your anger passes off with this, well and good. If not, you should lie down.

136.

When a man tells you something in confidence, you must not betray his trust.

137.

On the Day of Judgement, the tyrant’s own tyranny will descend upon him in the form of darkness.

138.

When there are three of you, one should not be left out while the other two share a secret, for this will cause him grief.

139.

Whosever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart, for that is the minimum that is desirable from a believer.

140.

No one should have to ask another to vacate his seat for him. Room should be made for him without his asking.

141.

It is not proper for a man to sit between two men and thus separate them, without seeking their permission.

142.

Those who take bribes and those who give bribes are cursed by God.

143.

By his own account, Amr ibn Abasah met the Prophet in Mecca in the early days of his propethood, and asked him, ‘What are you?’ He replied, ‘I am a Prophet.’ Amr then asked, ‘What is a Prophet?’ He replied, ‘I have been sent by God.’ ‘What has God sent you with?’ Amr asked. ‘With the commandment to destroy idols and to treat one’s relatives with kindness; to believe in one God and not to treat anyone as His partner,’ replied the Prophet.

144.

Three things are part of the good morals of a believer. When he is overcome by anger, his anger should not drive him to falsehood. When he is happy, his happiness should not take him beyond the bounds of what is right. When he has power, he should not stake a claim to something which is not his.

145.

The way to atone for slander is to pray for the forgiveness of the person whom you have slandered. Say, ‘O God, forgive me as well as him.’

146.

Explaining verse 41:34 of the Qur’an, Abdullah ibn Abbas said that those who exercised self-restraint when angry, or when confronted by mischief, would be protected by God. He would force their enemies to bow down before them as if they were His dear friends.

147.

Whenever a believer is striken with any hardship, or pain, or anxiety, or sorrow, or harm, or distress-even if it be a thorn that has hurt him-Allah redeems thereby some of his failings.

148.

Anas ibn Malik relates that as he was walking with the Prophet, who happened to have a thick-bordered NajanI burd (sheet) around his shoulders, a Bedouin came up to him and tugged at it. ‘I saw that it had left a mark on his neck. Then the Bedouin said, "O Muhammad, order some of the wealth of God which you have in your possession to be given to me." The Prophet looked at him and smiled, then he gave orders for something to be given to him.’

149.

A Bedouin once urinated in the Prophet’s Mosque, and people got up to punish him. The Prophet said, ‘Leave him alone, and throw a bucket of water over his urine. You are here to make things easy, not to make things difficult.’

150.

According to Aishah, the Prophet used to cobble his shoes, stitch his clothes and do the kind of housework that is done in all homes. He was a human being just like anybody else. He used to milk his goat and do sundry other chores himself.

151.

According to A’ishah, the Prophet never gave others tasks which were beyond their capabilities.

152.

According to Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, the Prophet was never seen to eat while reclining on a pillow. And no one had seen even two men walking behind him at any time.

153.

A’ishah said that she had never seen the Prophet show off his palate. He used just to smile.

154.

Sa’ib has thus recorded his commendation of the Prophet; ‘In the period of Ignorance (i.e. before Islam) when you were my partner in business, you were the finest of all partners. You never deceived me. Neither did you quarrel with me.’

155.

According to Yaala when he asked umm Salamah how the Prophet recited the Qur’an, she replied, ‘The Prophet used to recite the Qur’an with great clarity. Each word could be heard distinctly.’

156.

According to Jabir, the Prophet never said ‘no’ to any request.

157.

Abdullah ibn MasUd told how during the battle of Badr, oen camel was shared by three men, namely AbU Lubabah, AlI ibn AbI Talib, and the Prophet. When it was the Prophet’s turn to walk, the other two would say to him, ‘Mount the camel. We will walk in you place.’ The Prophet would reply, ‘Neither of you is stronger than I am, nor am I less eager fro rewards than you.’

158.

AbU Hurayrah relates how the Prophet never criticized food. ‘If he liked it, he ate it. If he did not, he just left it.’

159.

According to Abdullah ibn MasUd, the Prophet said that none of his Companions should complain to him of another. ‘I would like to come to you with a clear heart.’

160

According to A’ishah, the Prophet held that cleaning the teeth helped in maintaining oral hygience. ‘And,’ said the Prophet, ‘it gives pleasure to the Lord.’

161.

verily, God Almighty, and His angels, and those who inhabit the heavens, even the ants in their holes and the fishes in their waters, bless the good teachers of mankind.

162.

You will not enter Paradise unless you have faith, and you cannot be one of the faithful unless you love each other. Should I not tell you things which, it followed, will create love among you? One is to observe the practice of greeting each other.

163.

According to Abdullah ibn al-Abbas the Prophet forbade the staging of fights between animals.

164.

According to Abdullah ibn Umar, the Prophet forbade not only indulgence in slander and backbiting, but even listening to such talk.

165.

When a man makes a promise with the intention of fulfilling it, but for some valid reason is unable to do so, he does not thereby commit a sin.

166.

According to Khuraym ibn Fatik, the Prophet rose after the completion of his morning prayer and said, ‘The giving of false evidence is like committing idolatry.’ He repeated this three times. Then he recited this passage of the Qur’an: ‘Shun the loathsome evil of idolatrous beliefs and practices; and shun every word that is untrue. Dedicate yourselves to God and serve none besides Him’ (22:30-31)

167.

168.

A man once asked the Prophet if bigotry was to love one’s tribe. ‘No,’ replied the Prophet. ‘Bigotry is to help your tribe to tyrannise others.’

169.

He who preaches bigotry is not one of us. And not being one of us, he may go ahead and fight in the cause of bigotry. He who dies for such a cause is not one of us either.

HADITH OF ABU DAWUD ON THE AUTHORITY OF JUBAYR IBN MUT IM.

170.

According to AbU Hurayrah, the Prophet once asked his listeners if they knew what slander was, to which they replied that God and His Messenger knew better. The Prophet then explained that slander meant speaking of one’s brother in a manner that was hurtful to him. He was then asked, what if one’s brother was actually at fault. The Prophet replied that if he was at fault, then what was said against him was just backbiting and, if he was not, it was calumny.

171

‘On the Day of Judgment, you will discover the worst man to be the one who had two faces.’

172

‘Abdullah said that it was no proper to tell lies either in serious or in light vein. Neither was it proper to make promises to one’s children and then not fulfill them.

173

There are four characteristics which together make a person a complete hypocrite. The taint of hypocrisy will attach to the trustee who breaks his trust, to the speaker who tells untruths, to the maker of promises who fails to keep them and to the man who uses foul language when in disagreement with others. This taint will remain unless the wrong doer mends his ways.

HADITH OF AL-BUKHARI AND MUSLIM ON THE AUTHORITHY OF ‘ABDULLAH IBN ‘AMR IBN AL-‘AS.

174

When three men travel together, they should make one of them their leader.

175

Do not quarrel with your brother. Do not ridicule him. You should refrain form making a promise and then going back on it.

HADITH OF AT-TIRMIDHI ON THE AUTHORITY OF ABDULLAH IBN AL-ABBAS.

176

A man who helps his people for an unjust cause can be compared with a man, who catches hold of the tail of a camel which is falling into a well.

HADITH OF ABU DAWUD ON THE AUTHORITHY OF ABDULLAH IBN MASUD.

177

It is ruinous for a man to tell ties so that others may laugh. It is ruinous for him. It is ruinous for him.

178

Do not rejoice in the misfortunes of your brother. For God may show him compassion, but create difficulties for you.

179

The most perfect of believers, in point of faith, is he who is the best in manners.

180

Even if a group of people in a jungle number only three, it is still incumbent upon them to choose a leader.

181

None of you (truly) believes, until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.

182

Calling God in personal prayer is worship.

183

O God, only you can change our hearts. We beseech You to do so, so that we may submit to You.

184

According to Abu Bakr as-Siffiq, when he asked the Prophet to tell him of some invocations which he could recite in his prayers, the Prophet said, ‘Say, God, I have been an oppressor to myself. And there is no one but You who can forgive my sins. Therefore forgive me in Your generosity. And show me compassion. Verily, You are Forgiving and Compassionate.

185

According to Mu‘adh, the Prophet took his hand in his own and said, ‘O Mu‘adh, by God, I love You.’ Then he said, ‘I give you this counsel: after each prayer, you must no to omit to say, "O God, help me to remember You, and thank You, and worship You with devotion."’

186

Tariq ibn Ahyam relates that when anyone entered the fold of Islam, the Prophet would teach him to pray. Then he would instruct him how to invoke his Maker in these words: ‘O God, forgive me and have mercy on me. Give me prosperity and sustenance.’

187

God has give utterance to these words: ‘We are with Our servant whenever he remembers Us; when his lips are busy for Us.’

188

O God, I have obtained one promise from You. And on no account will You go against it. After all, I am a human being. (If ever) I have harmed a Muslim, or have spoken ill of him, or cursed him, or flogged him, then in compensation for all this, give him Your blessings, Your purity and Your nearness.

189

O God I seek Your protection from misery and grief, from weakness and laziness, and from the burden of loans and from things that will make others overcome me.

190

‘A’ishah related how she heard the Prophet praying thus: ‘O God, be lenient with me while judging me.’ When she asked him what leniency of judgment meant, he said, ‘God’s forgiveness after Hehas seen a man’s record. O ‘A’ishah, anyone who is judged strictly will be ruined.

191

According to Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri. The Prophet said, ‘Whenever one of the faithful invokes blessings which involve no sin or the breaking up of a relationship, God is certain to grant one of three things. Either He gives the supplicant His blessings in this world, or He keeps them for him in the world hereafter, or He saves him from some misfortune.’ His listener then said, ‘Now we shall invoke god’s blessings even more.’ ‘God’s blessings are boundless,’ replied the Prophet.

192

This is the invocation of a troubled man: ‘O Allah I am a petitoner for Divine Mercy. Do not abandon me even for a moment to any desires. And keep all my affairs in order. There is no God but You.’

193

God is nearest to His servant in the last phase of the night. If possible, be one of those who remember God during this period.

194

God extends His hand at night so that He may accept the repentance of those who indulge in wickedness during the day. God extends His hand during the day so that He may accept the repentance of those who indulge in wickedness at night. This will continue till the sun rises in the west.

195

Those who remember God and those who do not are as different from each other as the living and the dead.

196

According to Tamim ad-Dari, the Prophet said, ‘Well-wishing is faith. Well-wishing is faith. Well-wishing is faith.’ When asked towards whom, he replied, ‘Towards God, His messenger, Hid Book, the Muslim rulers and the common people.’

197

Whenever the meal was concluded the Prophet Muhammad PBUH would say, ‘Praise be to Allah, in plenty, in the best form and in abundance. The praise, which we ourselves offer and the praise which does not desert us, and whose desire never leaves us and we do not become indifferent to praise (of god), O Our Lord.’

198

God is bountiful and feels unhappy if He has to refuse to grant a wish. He feels embarrassed when a man holds out both his hands before Him, and He has to disappoint him by turning him away empty-handed.

199

‘Abdullah ibn Masud said, ‘It is as if I see the Prophet Muhammad describing the life of one of the prophets, who is assaulted by his people until the blood runs. He wipes the blood from his face and says, "O God, forgive my people for they know not what they do."’

200

O God, I seek divine guidance so that I may remain steadfast in what is just. I seek divine guidance in order to be firm in righteousness. I seek divine guidance in the manner that I express my gratitude for Your favours and worship with devotion. I seek from You a tongue that speaks the truth and a heart which is pure and clean.