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Zikr Allah
Abu Darda narrated that Rasool
Allah said, “Should I not tell you of such a thinga which are
the best and purest deeds in the court of your Lord, high in
ranks (darajat), better for you then spending gold and silver
(in Allah’s path), and better than slaying the neck of the enemy
during war? The Sahaba said, “Yes, Oh Rasool Allah! .” He said,
“It is Zikr of Allah.” (Tirmizi)
Abu Huraira narrated that Rasool Allah said, “Any gathering in
which people sit and do not do Zikr of Allah and do not send
Durood upon their Prophet is of loss for them. If Allah wills,
give them azab (punishment) and if wills, forgive them.” (Tirmizi)
Abu Huraira narrated that Rasool Allah said, “Allah Tabaraka wa
Ta’ala says when a person moves his lips for Zikr of Allah, I am
with him. “ (Bukhari)
Abu Huraira narrated that Rasool Allah said, “Allah Tabaraka wa
Ta’ala says I am closer to my slave than his supposition of
which he keeps of me. And when he/her does Zikr of Allah, I am
with him/her. If he does Zikr in his heart, I do his Zikr near
MY proximity (closeness) and if he does Zikr in a gathering, I
mention him in a gathering Afdhal (better) than it. (Bukhari)
Abu Musa Ash'ari narrated that Rasool Allah said, “He/She who
does Zikr of Allah and he/she who doesn’t, their example is of
like an alive and a dead. (Bukhari)
Abu Huraira said that Rasool Allah said, “The angels look for
those who do Zikr of Allah on the paths. When they find those
who are doing Zikr of Allah then they call each other, “Come,
your desired has been found.” Then those angels cover those are
doing Zikr of Allah up to the skies of this world with their
wings. And Allah Rabbul Izzat says about them to those angels
“What are my slave doing?” Though Allah knows more than those
angels. The angels say, “Those people are doing your Tasbeeh,
Tahmeed, and Tamjeed.” Rab Ta’ala says, “Have they seen me?” The
angels say, “We swear by your pure Entity, they have not seen
you.” Rab Ta’ala says to them, “If they had seen me then what
would be their state?” The angels say, “If they could’ve seen
you then they would do your Tamjeed and your Tasbeeh even more."
Rab Ta’ala says, “What slaves are asking from me?” The angels
say, “They are asking for Jannat from you.” Rab Ta’ala says,
“Have they seen Jannat?” The angels say, “We swear by Your Pure
Entity, they have not seen Jannat.” Rab Ta’ala says, “If they
had seen Jannat then what would be their state?” The angels say,
“If these people had seen jannat then their greed, desire, and
inclination for it would increase. Rab Ta’ala says, “What else
are they doing?” The angels say, “They are seeking refuge.” Rab
Ta’ala says, “From what are they seeking refuge?” The angels
say, “They are seeking refuge from Hell.” Rab Ta’ala says, “Have
they seen Hell?” The angels say, “Oh Rab, we swear by Your Pure
Entity, they have not seen it.” Rab Ta’ala, “If they had seen it
then what would be their state?” The angels say, “If they had
seen it then they would run even further away from it and fear
it even more.
Rab Ta’ala says, “angels, Be witnesses that I have forgiven
them.” An angel says, “There is one person amongst them who is
not part of those who do Zikr, he is there for some necessity of
his/her.” Rab Ta’ala says, “These are such people that even
those sitting among them are not deprived.” (Bukhari)
Anas narrated that Rasool Allah said, “When you pass by gardens
of paradise, eat fruits of them. The Sahaba said, “What are the
gardens of Paradise?” He said, “The gatherings of Zikr.” (Tirmizi)
Abu Huraira narrated Abu Saeed Khudri said that Rasool Allah
said, “Whenever a Jama'at (a group of people) sits for Zikr of
Allah, the angels surround it. Blessing covers that Jama'at. And
peace and calm descends on them. And Allah mentions them to the
angels present in HIS court. (Muslim)
Ameer Muaviah narrated that the Rasool Allah passed by a Jama'at
and asked them, “Why have you gathered here?” Some people of the
Jammat replied, “We have gathered here for the Zikr and Hamd of
Allah because by guiding us towards Islam He did favor on us.
Rasool Allah said, “By Allah, have you gathered only for this
(purpose)?” They said, “By Allah, we have gathered here only for
such purpose. Rasool Allah said, “I did not give you oath
because of any imputation (doubt) rather it is because Jibraeel
came to me and told me that Allah Azzawajal boasts of you in the
gathering of the angels. (Muslim)
Abdullah Bin Abbas narrated that Rasool Allah said, “The Shaitan
sticks to the heart of the child of Adam. When he does Zikr of
Allah, he (the Shaitan) runs away from him. And when the child
of Adam becomes careless from the Zikr of Allah, the Shaitan
begins to put was-wasah (evil suggestions) into his heart. (Bukhari)
Abdullah Bin Umar narrated that Rasool Allah said, “Don’t have a
conversation [without] Zikr of Allah. Because talking too much
without Zikr of Allah is the reason for the heart’s hardness and
wretchedness. And that person becomes distant from Allah in
whose heart there is wretchedness. (Tirmizi)
Abudullah Bin Bisr narrated that one person asked, “Ya Rasool
Allah! There are many commands on me of Islam. Tell me of such a
thing which I may hold on to steadfast. Rasool Allah replied,
“Always keep your tongue wet from Zikr of Allah.” (Tirmizi)
Abdullah Bin Bisr narrated that a villager came to the Holy
Court of Rasool Allah and asked, “Which man is the best?” Rasool
Allah said, “It is the luck and good-fortune of that person
whose life is long and his deeds are good.” He asked, “Ya Rasool
Allah! Which deed is the best?” Rasool Allah said, “Your tongue
be wet from Zikr of Allah when you part from this world. (Tirmizi)
Muaaz bin Jabal narrated that Rasool Allah said, “The people of
Jannat will only regret that moment which had been empty of Zikr
of Allah.” (Beheqi)
Etiquette of Eating
Aisha Siddiqa (Radi Allahu anha) narrates that the Prophet of
Allah said, "Whenever one eats then he should say the name of
Allah (say ) and if he forgets to say Bismillah in the beginning
then he should say, "" (Tirmizi, Abu Dawood, and Hakim)
Wahshi Bin Harb (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that the Prophet of
Allah said, "Eat together and read , in this, there is blessing
for you." (Masnad Imam-e-Ahmad, Sunan-e-Abi Dawood, Ibne Majah)
Jabir Bin Abdullah (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that the Prophet
of Allah said, "Whenever someone enters the house and at the
time of entering and eating recites , the Shaitan says to his
offspring that "you will not be able to live or eat in this
home", and if at the time of entrance one doesn't read then he
[the devil] says "that you have found a place to live" and if
someone doesn't read at the time of eating then he says "you
found a place to live and you have found food." (Sahih Muslim)
Amr Bin Abi Salma (Radi Allahu anhuma) narrates that I was child
in the care of the Prophet of Allah . While eating I would put
my mouth on every side of the dish. Rasul-Allah said, "After
reading , eat from the right side and eat from that side of the
dish which is nearer to you. (Bukhari and Muslim)
Jabir Bin Abdullah and Asma (Radi Allahu anhuma) narrate that
Rasul-Allah said, "Cool your meal because there is no blessing
in hot food. (Rawahul-Hakim and Abu Dawood)
Abu Saeed Khizri (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that the Prophet of
Allah used to recite after eating food. (Tirmizi)
Aqba Bin Amir (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates Rasul-Allah said,
"That meal which has not been read on is illness and there is no
blessing in it. The compensation for it is that if the table
cloth has not been picked up then read and eat something and if
the table cloth has been picked up then read and a lick the
fingers. (Ibn Asakar)
Ans Bin Malik (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that Rasul-Allah said,
"Whenever you eat or drink, read this, then you will not get any
illness even if it has poison: (Rawahul Daylmee)
Abdullah Bin Umar (Radi Allahu anhuma) narrates that Rasul-Allah
said, "When one eats then he should eat with the right hand and
when one drinks then he should drink with the right hand. (Bukhari
& Muslim)
Ka'ab Bin Malik (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates Rasul-Allah would
eat with three fingers and before wiping would lick them with
the tongue. (Bukhari and Muslim)
Jabir bin Abdullah (Radi Allahu anhuma) narrates that Rasul-Allah
said, "Lick the fingers and the dish. You don't know which part
of meal has blessings." (Sahih Muslim)
Nobelsha (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates from Rasul-Allah said,
"Whoever, after eating will lick the dish, that dish will do
Istighfar for him. (Tirmizi and Musnad-e-Imam Ahmad)
Abdullah Bin Abbas (Radi Allahu anhuma) narrates the Prophet of
Allah said, "Do not blow from your mouth into food and water." (Rawahe
Tibrani)
Aisha Siddiqa (Radi Allahu anha) narrates that Rasul-Allah
entered the house and saw some fallen bread. He picked it up,
wiped it, and ate it. Afterwards He said, "Aisha, respect good
things. When this thing (bread) runs away from a nation it
doesn't return." (Ibn-e-Majah)
Abdullah Bin Umme Haraam (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that Rasul-Allah
said, "Respect bread. It is from the blessings of the skies and
earth. Whoever eats fallen bread from the table cloth for him
there is Maghfirah [salvation]. (Rawahe Tibrani)
Aisha Siddiqa (Radi Allahu anha) narrates that Rasul-Allah
said,"Do not get up from From food (DastarKhawan-Mat) until Food
has been picked up" (Ibn-e-Majah)
Abudllah Bin Umar (Radi Allahu anhuma) narrates that Rasul-Allah
said, "When the table cloth is chosen, no one should stand until
the table cloth is picked up and he should not take away his
hand from the food until all have finished eating. If he his
going to stop his hands from the food, he should excuse himself
because without excusing (oneself) to stopping the hands will
embarrass the other person sitting on the table cloth and he too
will pull his hands from the food and it's possible that he
might still necessitate food.
Ans Bin Malik (Radi Allahu anhuma) narrates that Rasul-Allah
said, "Whoever wants that Allah Ta'ala increase blessings and
goodness in his home then he should do wudu when the food is
presented in front of him and do wudu when it is picked i.e.,
wash the hands and the mouth. (Ibn-e-Maajah)
Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that the Rasul-Allah
said, "If there is the smell of grease on one's hand and he
sleeps without washing the hands and some problem reaches him
then he should blame himself. (Tirmizi, Abu Dawood, and
Ibn-e-Maajah)
Abu Abs Bin Jabr (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that Rasul-Allah
said, "Take off the shoes while eating because this is the
better way." (Rawahul Hakim)
Abu Jahefa (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates from Rasul-Allah said, "I
don't eat while (resting) on a pillow. (Bukhari)
Forty Hadiths on the merit of saying Laa ilaha illahlah
1. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Whoever
says: there is no god but Allah enters Paradise." Tabarani
narrated it from Abu Dharr in the Kabir (7:55), Ibn Hibban in
his Sahih (31), al-Hakim in his Mustadrak (4:251), al-Mundhiri
in al-Targhib (2:422), al-Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id (1:18),
Ibn `Adi (7:2639), Abu Nu`aym in the Hilya (7:174), and al-Bazzar
from `Umar.
2. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Whoever
says there is no god but Allah enters Paradise even if he
commits adultery and even if he steals (i.e. even if he commits
great sins)." (Nasa'i, Tabarani and others from Abu al-Darda' -
sahih).
3. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Whoever
witnesses that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is
Allah's Messenger, Allah forbids the Fire from touching him."
Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim from `Ubada ibn al-Samit.
Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari, book of riqaq ch. 14 (1989 ed.
11:324) says that the hadiths of "Allah forbids the Fire from
touching him" are even more explicit than those of "Allah will
enter him into Paradise" in establishing that the one who
declares Allah's oneness is saved even if he does not heed the
orders and the prohibitions.
4. The Companions were talking about Malik ibn Dukhshum, and
they wished that the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him --
would curse him so that he should die or meet some calamity. The
Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Does Malik ibn
Dukhshum not testify to the fact that there is no god but Allah
and that I am the Messenger of Allah?" They said: "Yes, he no
doubt says this but it is not in his heart." The Prophet --
Allah bless and greet him -- replied: "No-one ever witnesses
that there is no god but Allah and that I am Allah's Messenger
and then enters the Fire nor is consumed by it." Anas said:
"This hadith impressed me so much that I ordered my son to write
it down and he did." Muslim narrates it.
5. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said that Allah
will save a man of his community the record of whose sins fills
99 books, each book extending as far as the eye can see. Against
all this will be weighed the one good deed that he has, which is
his witnessing that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad
is His Messenger, and it will outweigh all the rest. The Prophet
-- Allah bless and greet him -- then said: "Nothing is of any
weight with Allah's Name."
[The hadith begins: innallaha sayukhallisu rajulan min ummati...]
Narrated from `Abd Allah ibn `Amr ibn al-`As by Ahmad, Tirmidhi
(Iman 17 - hasan gharib), al-Hakim, and Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-iman.
6. Bukhari narrates in his Sahih (Volume 9, Book 93, Number
601): Ma`bad ibn Hilal al-`Anazi relates: Some of us from Basra
gathered and went to Anas bin Malik in company with Thabit al-Bunani
so that he might ask Anas about the Hadith of Intercession on
our behalf. Anas was in his palace, and our arrival coincided
with his late morning (Duha) prayer. We asked permission to
enter and he admitted us, sitting on his bed. We said to Thabit,
"Do not ask him about anything else first but the Hadith of
Intercession." He said, "O Abu Hamza! Here are your brethren
from Basra coming to ask you about the Hadith of Intercession."
Anas then said:
The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- talked to us saying:
On the Day of Resurrection the people will surge one group after
another like waves, and then they will come to Adam and say:
"Please intercede for us with your Lord." He will say: "I am not
fit for this. You should go to Ibrahim as he is the Intimate
Friend (khalil) of the Beneficent." They will go to Ibrahim and
he will say: "I am not fit for this, but you should go to Moses
as he is the one to whom Allah spoke directly." So they will go
to Musa and he will say: "I am not fit for this, but you should
go to `Isa as he is a soul created (directly) by Allah, and His
Word (Be!)." They will go to `Isa and he will say: "I am not fit
for this, but you should go to Muhammad."
They will come to me and I will say: "I can do it." Then I will
ask for my Lord's permission and it will be given; then He will
inspire me to praise Him with such praises as I cannot fathom.
So I will praise Him with those praises and will fall down
prostrate before Him. Then it will be said: "O Muhammad, raise
your head and speak, for you will be heard; ask, for your will
be granted your request; intercede, for your intercession will
be accepted." I will say: "O Lord, my Community! My Community!"
And then it will be said: "Go and take out of the Fire all those
who have in their hearts faith the weight of a barley grain."
I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same
praises, and fall down prostrate before Him. Then it will be
said: "O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be
heard; ask, for your will be granted your request; intercede,
for your intercession will be accepted." I will say: "O Lord, my
Community! My Community!" And then it will be said: "Go and take
out of the Fire all those who have in their hearts faith the
like of a small ant or a mustard-seed."
I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same
praises, and fall down prostrate before Him. Then it will be
said: "O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be
heard; ask, for you will be granted your request; intercede, for
your intercession will be accepted." I will say: "O Lord, my
Community! My Community!" And then it will be said: "Go and take
out of the Fire all those who have in their hearts the smallest
iota of faith." I will go and do so.
When we left Anas, I said to some of my companions: "Let us pass
by al-Hasan (al-Basri) who is hiding himself in the house of Abu
Khalifa and request him to recount to us what Anas ibn Malik has
just told us." So we went to him and we greeted him and he
admitted us. We said to him: "O Abu Sa`id! We came to you from
your brother Anas ibn Malik and he related to us a Hadith about
the intercession the like of which I have never heard." He said:
"What is that?" We told him of the Hadith and at the end we
said: "He stopped at this point." He said: "What then?" We said:
"He did not add anything after that." He said: "Anas related the
Hadith to me twenty years ago when he was a young fellow. I
don't know whether he forgot or if he did not like to let you
depend overly on what he might have said." We said, "O Abu Sa`id!
Do tell us." He smiled and said: "Man was created hasty. I only
mentioned it because I was going to inform you of it. Anas told
me the same as he told you and said that the Prophet -- Allah
bless and greet him -- added:
I will then return for a fourth time and praise Him similarly
and prostrate before Him the same as before. And then it will be
said: "O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be
heard; ask, for your will be granted your request; intercede,
for your intercession will be accepted." I will then say: "O
Lord, allow me to intercede for whoever said: la ilaha illallah."
Then Allah will say:
By My Power,
by My Majesty,
by My Supremacy,
and by My Greatness,
I shall take out of the fire whoever said: la ilaha illallah.
7. This is confirmed by another well-known hadith whereby the
Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "My intercession
is for those people of my Community who commit major sins."
Narrated by Tirmidhi, Qiyama 11; Abu Dawud, Sunna 31; Ibn Maja,
Zuhd 37; and Ahmad 3:213.
8. Adhana fi al-nasi anna man shahida an la ilaha illallah
wahdahu la sharika lahu mukhlisan dakhala al-janna. "It was
proclaimed among the people that whoever witnesses that there is
no god except Allah, alone, without partner, enters Paradise."
Narrated by Ibn `Adi on the authority of `Umar.
8a. Man shahida an la ilaha illallah dakhala al-janna. "Whoever
witnesses that there is no god but Allah alone enters Paradise."
al-Bazzar narrates it from `Umar.
9. Bashshir al-nasa annahu man qala la ilaha illallahu wahdahu
la sharika lahu wajabat lahu al-janna. "Announce to the people
the tidings that whoever says: No god except Allah alone,
without partner, Paradise is guaranteed for him." Narrated by
al-Nasa'i from Sahl ibn Hunayf and Zayd ibn Khalid al-Jahni.
10. `Uthman ibn `Affan said: I heard Allah's Messenger say:
"Verily, I know a phrase which no servant utters truthfully from
his heart except the Fire is made unlawful for him." `Umar ibn
al-Khattab said: "I shall tell you what that phrase is. It is
the kalima of sincerity with which Allah has empowered Muhammad
and his Companions, the kalima of fear of Allah which Allah's
Prophet enjoined upon his uncle Abu Talib on his deathbed: the
witnessing that there is no god but Allah." Ahmad related it in
his Musnad (1:63 #449).
11. Sa`id ibn al-Musayyib relates: When the death of Abu Talib
approached, Allah's Apostle came to him and said: "Say: la ilaha
illallah, a word with which I will be able to negotiate or argue
(uhajju) for you in Allah's presence." Narrated by Bukhari in
his Sahih (Volume 8, Book 78, Number 672). Muslim also narrates
it in his Sahih.
12. Mafatih al-janna shahadatu an la ilaha illallah. "The keys
to Paradise are the witnessing that there is no god but Allah."
Ahmad related it from Mu`adh and Haythami said in Majma` al-zawa'id:
"The men in its chain has been declared trustworthy (thiqa)
although there is interruption in the transmission." It is
confirmed by the next hadith.
12a. Li kulli shay'in miftahun wa miftahu al-jannati shahadatu
an la ilaha illallah. "Everything has its key, and the key to
Paradise is the witnessing that there is no god but Allah."
Narrated by Tabarani from Mu`qal ibn Yasar. Wahb confirmed its
authenticity as related in one of the chapter-titles in
Bukhari's Sahih.
13. Ibn `Abbas narrated in his Commentary that the Prophet --
Allah bless and greet him -- said concerning the meaning of the
verse: hal jaza'u al-ihsani illa al-ihsan - "Is the reward of
goodness anything other than goodness?" (55:60): "Allah says:
Can there be any other reward than Paradise in the Hereafter for
one whom I blessed in his worldly life with the recitation of
the kalima of la ilaha illallah?" `Ikrima and al-Hasan also said
that the reward of la ilaha illallah cannot be anything but
Paradise.
14. "If anyone comes on the Day of Resurrection who has said la
ilaha illallah sincerely with the intention to win Allah's
pleasure, Allah will make Hellfire forbidden for him." Narrated
by Bukhari, vol. 8 p.288 #431.
Tirmidhi comments on the preceding hadith: "It is narrated from
al-Zuhri that he was asked about the Prophet's saying whereby
"Whoever says la ilaha illallah enters Paradise" and he said:
"This was only in the beginning of Islam, before the revelation
of obligations and the orders and prohibitions." The hafiz Abu
Bakr ibn al-`Arabi (d. 543) comments on this in `Aridat al-ahwadhi
(10:105): "There is no justification for Ibn Shihab's (al-Zuhri)
explanation." This is confirmed by the hadith of `Utban ibn
Malik. Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari, Riqaq ch. 14 (1989 ed. 11:324)
mentions that the opinion of al-Zuhri and of Sa`id ibn al-Musayyib
that the hadith "Whoever says la ilaha illallah applied only in
the beginning of Islam was incorrect since the hadith of Abu al-Darda'
and Abu Dharr whereby the Muslim enters Paradise "even if he
commits adultery or steals" and the Prophet -- Allah bless and
greet him -- mentioned this precisely to contradict the logic of
those who say that great sins will prevent entry into Paradise.
15. Lan yuwafiya `abdun yawma al-qiyamati yaqulu la ilaha
illallah yabtaghi biha wajh Allah illa harrama Allahu `alayhi
al-nar. "No servant is true to his word on the Day of
Resurrection, saying: No god but Allah in order to seek Allah's
good pleasure, except Allah will make the Fire unlawful for
him." Narrated by Ahmad and Bukhari from `Utban ibn Malik.
16. "The best of my sayings and of the sayings of all Prophets
before me is: There is no god but Allah alone, without partner,
to Him belong all sovereignty and glory, and He has power over
all things." Narrated by Tirmidhi from `Amr ibn Shu`ayb, from
his father, from his grandfather (hasan gharib).
17. Afdalu al-a`mali al-imanu billahi wahdah, thumma al-jihad,
thumma hujjatun mabrura, tufdilu sa'ir al-a`mali kama bayna
matla` al-shamsi ila maghribiha. "The best deed is belief in
Allah alone, then fighting in the way of Allah, then pilgrimage
that is accepted: these outweigh all deeds the distance of East
to West." Narrated by Ahmad from Ma`iz with a sound chain.
18. Alaysa yashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa anni rasulullah?
Qalu innahu yaqulu dhalika wa ma huwa fi qalbihi. Qala la
yashhadu ahadun an la ilaha illallah wa anni rasulullah fa
yadkhulu al-nara aw tut`imuhu. Qala anas fa a`jabani hadha al-hadith
fa qultu li ibni uktubhu fa katabahu. It is narrated on the
authority of `Utban ibn Malik that he came to Madina and said:
Something was wrong with my eyesight, so I said to the Prophet:
"It is my ardent desire that you should grace my house with your
presence and pray there so that I should take the spot where you
prayed as a place of worship." (Another version also in Muslim
has: I sent for the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- the
message: "Come and lay for me a place for worship [khutta li
masjidan]." Imam Nawawi said: It means: "Mark for me a spot that
I can take as a place for worship by obtaining blessing from
your having been there [mutabarrikan bi atharika].") So the
Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- came there, with those
of the Companions whom Allah wished. He entered (my home) and
performed prayer. Then the Companions began to talk among
themselves about Malik ibn Dukhshum, and they wished that the
Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- would curse him so that
he should die or meet some calamity. After the Prophet -- Allah
bless and greet him -- finished praying he said: "Does Malik ibn
Dukhshum not testify to the fact that there is no god but Allah
and that I am the Messenger of Allah?" They said: "Yes, he no
doubt says this but it is not in his heart." The Prophet --
Allah bless and greet him -- replied: "No-one ever witnesses
that there is no god but Allah and that I am Allah's Messenger
and then enters the Fire or consumes it." Anas said: "This
hadith impressed me so much that I ordered my son to write it
down and he did." Narrated by Muslim. Imam Nawawi says about:
"In this hadith is evidence for obtaining blessings through the
relics of saints (al-tabarruk bi athar al-salihin)."
19. Al-imanu bid`un wa sab`una baban fa adnaha imatat al-adha
`an al-tariq wa arfa`uha qawlu la ilaha illallah. "Belief is
seventy and some branches. Its lowest branch is the removal of
harm from the road while its highest is to say: There is no god
but Allah." Narrated by Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and
Ahmad.
20. Man kana akhir kalamihi la ilaha illallah dakhala al-janna.
"Whoever breathes his last with the words: la ilaha illallah,
enters Paradise." Narrated from Mu`adh by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and
al-Hakim.
Imam Nawawi in his book al-Tarkhis fi al-ikram bi al-qiyam li
dhawi al-fadl wa al-maziyya min ahl al-Islam (p. 84) said:
The hadith master Abu al-Baqa' told us: Hafiz Abu Muhammad
informed us: Abu Tahir al-Silafi informed us: Abu `Ali al-Burdani
said: I heard Hannad ibn Ibrahim al-Nasafi saying: I heard Abu
Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Qattan saying: I heard Abu `Abd
Allah `Umar ibn Ahmad Ibn Ishaq al-`Attar saying: I heard Abu `Abd
Allah Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Warah al-Razi saying: I and Abu
Hatim Muhammad ibn Idris al-Razi were present with Abu Zur`a al-Razi
at the time of his death, so I said to Abu Hatim: "Come, let us
remind him to say the shahada." Abu Hatim said, "I would be
ashamed before Abu Zur`a to remind him of the shahada; but come,
let us recall the hadith, perhaps when he hears it he will say
it." I started and said:
Muhammad ibn Bashshar told us:
Abu `Asim al-Nabil told us:
from `Abd al-Hamid ibn Ja`far -
then I got confused about the hadith as if I never heard it or
read it.
So Abu Hatim started and said:
Muhammad ibn Bashshar told us:
Abu `Asim al-Nabil told us:
from `Abd al-Hamid ibn Ja`far -
then he too got confused as if he never read it or heard it
before.
Then Abu Zur`a, may Allah be pleased with him, spoke and said:
Muhammad ibn Bashshar told us:
Abu `Asim al-Nabil told us:
`Abd al-Hamid ibn Ja`far told us:
from Salih ibn Abi `Urayb:
from Kathir ibn Murrah:
from Mu`adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, he said:
the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and give him peace,
said: "Whoever speaks as his last words: la ilaha illallah" -
then Abu Zur`a's spirit came out with the letter ha' (the last
letter of the word Allah) before he could say "he will enter
Paradise." That was in the year 262.
21. Man mata wa huwa ya`lamu annahu la ilaha illallah dakhala
al-janna. "Whoever dies knowing full well that there is no god
but Allah, enters Paradise." Narrated by Muslim and Ahmad from
`Uthman.22. Idhhab bi na`layya hatayni fa man laqita min wara'a
hadha al-ha'it yashhadu an la ilaha illallah mustayqinan biha
qalbahu fa bashshirhu bi al-janna. The Prophet -- Allah bless
and greet him -- said to Abu Hurayra: "Go with these two sandals
of mine and whoever you meet behind this wall that witnesses
that there is no god except Allah with certitude in his heart,
give him glad tidings that he will enter Paradise." Narrated by
Muslim from Abu Hurayra. The latter then met `Umar, who
prevented him from announcing this to the people and the Prophet
-- Allah bless and greet him -- agreed with him on the grounds
that they would then rely upon it to the exclusion of everything
else. The prevention of this news from reaching the ears of the
ignorant is confirmed by the hadith of Mu`adh and that of `Ubada
ibn al-Samit through al-Sunabihi, both narrated by Muslim in the
same chapter (Book of iman ch. 10).
23. Man shahida an la ilaha illallah wa anna Muhammadan
rasulullah harrama Allahu `alayhi al-nar. `Abd al-Rahman ibn
Usayla al-Sunabihi said: When I entered upon `Ubada ibn al-Samit
at the time of his death I burst into tears so he said: "Why are
you crying? By Allah, if I were asked to testify I would testify
for you, and if I were given intercession I would intercede for
you, and if it were in my power I would certainly help you! By
Allah, I never heard a hadith from Allah's Messenger in which
there was benefit for you except I narrated it to you, all but
one: and I shall narrate it to you now since I am about to
breathe my last. I heard Allah's Messenger say: "Whoever
witnesses that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is
Allah's Messenger, Allah forbids the Fire from touching him."
Muslim and Tirmidhi narrated it. Qadi `Iyad said: "In this
hadith is the proof for the permissibility of keeping certain
types of knowledge away from the common people due to the
inability of their minds to understand it correctly, as long as
it does not concern an obligation of religion or stipulations
for punishment." Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim (Iman Ch. 10 #47).
24. Ya Mu`adh ibn Jabal ma min ahadin yashhadu an la ilaha
illallah wa anni rasulullah sidqan min qalbihi illa harramahu
allahu `ala al-nar. Qala ya rasulallah afala ukhbiru al-nasa
fayastabshiru? Qala idhan yattakilu. The Prophet -- Allah bless
and greet him -- said: "O Mu`adh ibn Jabal! No one witnesses
that there is no god but Allah and that I am Allah's Messenger
truthfully from his heart except Allah has made him unlawful for
the Fire." Mu`adh said: "O Messenger of Allah, shall I not tell
the people so that they will be glad?" He replied: "If you do,
they will rely on it (and leave everything else)." Narrated by
Muslim, Ahmad and Bayhaqi from Anas. Muslim says: "Mu`adh
narrated it at the time of his death to avoid sinning (by
keeping it to himself)."
25. As`adu al-nasi bi shafa`ati yawma al-qiyama man qala La
ilaha illallah khalisan mukhlisan min qalbihi. Abu Hurayra
inquired from the Prophet: "O Messenger of Allah, who will be
the most fortunate of people to receive your intercession on the
Day of Resurrection?" The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him
-- replied: "O Abu Hurayra, I knew, because of your love of what
I say, that no one other than you would ask me of this hadith.
The most fortunate of people to receive my intercession on the
Day of Resurrection are those who said: la ilaha illallah purely
and sincerely from the heart." Narrated by Bukhari from Abu
Hurayra.
26. Usama ibn Zayd killed an idolater in battle after the latter
had said: "There is no god but Allah" (la ilaha illallah). When
news of this reached Allah's Messenger he condemned Usama in the
strongest terms and he said to him: "How can you kill him after
he said La ilaha illallah?" He replied: "But he said it with the
sword hanging over his head-" The Prophet -- Allah bless and
greet him -- said again: "How can you kill him after he said La
ilaha illallah?" He replied: "O Messenger of Allah, he said it
in dissimulation (taqiyyatan)." The Prophet -- Allah bless and
greet him -- said: "Did you split his heart open (to see)?" and
he did not cease to reprove him until Usama wished that he had
not entered Islam until after he had killed that man so that he
might have been forgiven all his past sins through belief.
Narrated by Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tayalisi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i,
al-`Adni, Abu `Awana, al-Tahawi, al-Hakim, and Bayhaqi.
27. Al-Miqdad said: I asked, "O Messenger of Allah, suppose I
and one of the idolaters battled and he cut off my hand, then I
was positioned to strike him and he said: la ilaha illallah! Do
I kill him or spare him?" He said: "Spare him." I said: "Even if
he cut off my hand?" He said: "Even so." I asked him again two
or three times whereupon he said: "If you kill him after he says
la ilaha illallah then you are like him before he said it, and
he is like you before you killed him." Narrated by Ahmad, Abu
Dawud, Nasa'i, Shafi`i in his Musnad, and Bayhaqi in the Shu`ab.
28. Innallaha la yu`adhdhibu min `ibadihi illa al-marid wa al-mutamarrid
`ala Allah wa aba an yaqula la ilaha illallah. The Prophet --
Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Allah does not punish, of
his servants, except the rebel against Allah who refuses to say:
there is no god but Allah." Ibn Majah narrated it.
29. afdalu al-dhikri la ilaha illallah. The Prophet -- Allah
bless and greet him -- said: "The best remembrance of Allah is
to say: There is no god but Allah." Tirmidhi (hasan), Nasa'i,
Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-iman, from Jabir ibn
`Abd Allah.
30. Al-tasbih nusfu al-mizan, wa al-hamdu lillah tamla'uhu, wa
LA ILAHA ILLALLAH laysa laha duna Allahi hijabun hatta tukhlisu
ilayh. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Saying
subhan allah (glory to Allah) is half the balance and saying al-hamdu
lillah (all praise belongs to Allah) fills it, and there is no
veil between la ilaha illallah and Allah Himself (i.e. it is not
even weighed in the Balance), it reaches Him directly." Narrated
by Tirmidhi from `Abd Allah ibn `Umar. Suyuti in al-Jami` al-saghir
said it is sound (sahih).
31. Kunna `inda al-nabiyyi sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam fa qala
hal fikum gharib? ya`ni ahl al-kitab qulna la ya rasulallah fa
amara bi ghalqi al-abwabi wa qala irfa`u aydikum wa qulu la
ilaha illallah! farafa`na aydina sa`atan thumma qala al-hamdu
lillah! allahumma innaka ba`athtani bi hadhihi al-kalimai wa
wa`adtani `alayha al-jannata wa anta la tukhlifu al-mi`ad!
thumma qala abshiru fa innallaha qad ghafara lakum. Ya`la ibn
Shaddad relates that his father Shaddad ibn Aws told him as `Ubada
ibn al-Samit was present and confirmed it: "We were sitting with
Allah's Messenger and he asked if there was any stranger - the
narrator said: i.e. People of the Book - in the gathering. We
said that there was none. He said: Shut the door, raise up your
hands and say: "There is no god but Allah." We raised our hands
and recited the kalima tayyiba for some time. He then exclaimed:
"al-hamdu lillah! O Allah, You have sent me with this word and
have ordered me to teach it and have promised me Paradise for
it, and You do not take back Your promise. Be glad, for Allah
has forgiven you!" The chain of this hadith is fair (hasan).
Narrated from Ya`la ibn Shaddad's father and `Ubada ibn al-Samit
by Ahmad, Nasa'i, Tabarani, al-Hakim, al-Mundhiri in al-Targhib,
and others. Al-Haythami said in Majma` al-zawa'id: "The
sub-narrators in its chain are trustworthy."
32. `Abd Allah ibn Salam relates: As we were travelling with
Allah's Messenger he heard the people asking: "Which action is
the best, O Allah's Messenger?" He said: "Belief in Allah,
fighting in Allah's way, and pilgrimage that is accepted." After
this he heard a call coming from a valley saying: "I bear
witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah" whereupon he said: "And I bear witness to
the same, and I bear witness that no one bears witness to the
same except he clears himself of shirk (associating a partner to
Allah)." Ahmad and Tabarani in al-Awsat relate it with a sound
chain, as stated by Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id.
33. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- came out and
heard the adhan. When he heard the mu'adhdhin say: la ilaha
illallah, he said: khala`a al-andad, which means: "He (the
speaker) has disowned (the existence of) partners (to Allah)."
Ibn Abi al-Dunya narrated it, and Suyuti cites it in his
commentary of verse 2:18 in al-Durr al-manthur.
34. Yakhruju min al-nari man qala la ilaha illallah wa kana fi
qalbihi min al-khayri ma yazinu sha`ira, thumma yakhruju min al-nari
man qala la ilaha illallah wa kana fi qalbihi min al-khayri ma
yazinu badhra, thumman yakhruju min al-nari man qala la ilaha
illallah wa kana fi qalbihi min al-khayri ma yazinu dharra.
"There will come out of the Fire whoever said: There is no god
but Allah, and there is in his heart a bead's worth of goodness;
then there will come out of the Fire whoever said: There is no
god but Allah, and there is in his heart a grain's worth of
goodness; then there will come out of the Fire whoever said:
There is no god but Allah, and there is in his heart an atom's
worth of goodness." Related by Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi
(hasan sahih), Bayhaqi, Nasa'i, Tabarani, Ibn Majah, and Ibn
Khuzayma from Anas.
35. Mu`adh ibn Jabal said that the last he spoke with the
Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- he asked him: "What
action is most beloved to Allah?" And the Prophet -- Allah bless
and greet him -- replied: "That you die with your tongue still
moist with the mention (dhikr) of Allah." Related by Tabarani
and al-Bazzar (hasan). Note that hadith #29 stipulates that the
best dhikr is La ilaha illallah.
36. Ala unabbi'ukum bi khayri a`malikum wa azkaha `inda
malikikum wa arfa`iha fi darajatikum wa khayrin lakum min infaqi
al-dhahabi wa al-waraqi wa khayrin lakum min an talqu `aduwwakum
fa tadribu a`naqahum wa yadribu a`naqakum qalu bala qala
dhikrullah. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said:
"Shall I tell you something that is the best of all deeds,
constitutes the best act of piety in the eyes of your Lord, will
elevate your status in the hereafter, and carries more virtue
than the spending of gold and silver or taking part in jihad and
slaying and being slain in the path of Allah? It is the dhikr or
remembrance and mention of Allah." Narrated from Abu al-Darda'
by Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Abi al-Dunya, al-Hakim (sahih),
al-Dhahabi (who confirmed al-Hakim), and others.
37. Ma `amila adamiyyun `amalan anja lahu min `adhabi al-qabri
min dhikrillah. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him --
said: "A human being cannot do anything that is more effective
in saving him from the punishment of the grave than the dhikr or
remembrance of Allah." Narrated from Mu`adh ibn Jabal by Ahmad.
Haythami said in Majma` al-zawa'id that the sub-narrators in its
chain of transmission are the men of sound hadith, although the
Tabi`i link is missing; however, Tabarani narrated it through a
second chain which is entirely sound (sahih). Also narrated with
the word al-`abd (Allah's servant) instead of adamiyyun (a human
being) by Malik in his Muwatta', Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim (sahih),
and al-Dhahabi (who confirmed al-Hakim).
38. Anas reports that the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him
-- was once asked the same question as Mu`adh in hadith #35, and
he replied: "Knowledge of Allah." It was then asked: "And which
action adds to this in merit?" He repeated: "Knowledge of
Allah." They said: "We ask about actions and you answer
concerning knowledge?" The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him
-- said: "A few actions are greatly useful as long as there is
knowledge; while a lot of actions are useless if there is
ignorance." Anas said: "He spoke of this at length." Ibn `Abd
al-Barr reports it in Fadl al-`ilm with a weak chain. See also
Ithaf al-sadat al-muttaqin (1:85), Suyuti's al-Durr al-manthur
(2:221), and al-Mundhiri's al-Tarhib wa al-Targhib (3:525).
This hadith is confirmed by hadith #37 and by the first phrase
of hadith #17 whereby "the best deed is belief in Allah alone."
The hadith is further confirmed by our decisive knowledge that
the purpose of creation is knowledge of Allah, as indicated by
Ibn `Abbas's explanation of the verse wa ma khalaqna al-jinna wa
al-insa illa li ya`budun "I did not create the jinn and
humankind except to worship (= know) Me" (51:56) and the verse
fa`lam annahu la ilaha illallah "Know that there is no god
except Allah" (47:19).
39. Wal-ladhi nafsi bi yadihi law ji'a bi al-samawati wa al-ardi
wa man fihinna wa ma baynahunna fa wudi`na fi kaffati al-mizani
wa wudi`at shahadatu an la ilaha illallahu fi al-kaffati al-ukhra
la rajahat bihinna. "By Him in Whose hand is my soul, if the
heavens and the earth and all that are in them and everything
that is in between were brought and placed in one pan of the
Balance, and the witnessing that there is no god but Allah were
placed in the other, the latter would outweigh the former."
Related by Tabarani and by Suyuti in al-Durr al-manthur.
Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id stated that the sub-narrators in
its chain are trustworthy, but that the Tabi`i link is missing.
40. After the passing of the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet
him -- from this world Abu Bakr said to the Companions: "I asked
Allah's Messenger what basic thing was necessary for salvation
and he replied that whoever accepts the Word which I brought and
which I offered to my uncle Abu Talib and which he rejected:
this Word constitutes salvation for him." Related by Ahmad
(1:6), Tabarani in al-Awsat, Tayalisi in his Musnad, Ibn Sa`d in
his Tabaqat (2/2:84-85), Abu Ya`la, Ibn Abi Shayba, Bayhaqi in
Shu`ab al-iman (1:107-108 #92-93) and al-Bazzar. See above,
hadiths #10-11. This hadith is sound although in Ahmad the link
between al-Zuhri and Abu Bakr and `Uthman is not named other
than "a man from the trustworthy people among the Ansar," while
Bayhaqi's and Tayalisi's narration from al-Zuhri is from Sa`id
ibn al-Musayyib from `Abd Allah ibn `Amr ibn al-`As. |
