The Book of Faith

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that he (the Apostle of Allah) observed: Three are the persons with whom Allah would neither speak (on the Day of Resurrection) nor would He look at them, and there would be a painful chastisement for them, a person who took an oath on the goods of a Muslim in the afternoon and then broke it. The rest of the hadith is the same as narrated by A'mash.

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed: He who killed himself with steel (weapon) would be the eternal denizen of the Fire of Hell and he would have that weapon in his hand and would be thrusting that in his stomach for ever and ever, he who drank poison and killed himself would sip that in the Fire of Hell where he is doomed for ever and ever; and he who killed himself by falling from (the top of) a mountain would constantly fall in the Fire of Hell and would live there for ever and ever.

This hadith has been narrated by another chain of transmitters.

Thabit b. Dahhak reported that he pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) under the Tree, and verily the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed: He who took an oath of a religion other than Islam, in the state of being a liar, would became so, as he professed. He who killed himself with a thing would be tormented on the Day of Resurrection with that very thing. One is not obliged to offer votive offering of a thing which is not in his possession.

It is narrated on the authority of Thabit b. al-Dahhak that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) observes: None is obliged to give votive offering (of a thing) which is not in his possession and the cursing of a believer is tantamount to killing him, and he who killed himself with a thing in this world would be tormented with that (very thing) on the Day of Resurrection, and he who made a false claim to increase (his wealth), Allah would make no addition but that of paucity, and he who perjured would earn the wrath of God

It is narrated on the authority of Thabit b. Dahhak that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed: He who took deliberately a false oath on a religion other than Islam would become that which he had professed. And he who killed himself with anything Allah would torment him with that in the Fire of Hell.

In the hadith narrated by Shu'ba the words are: Verily the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: He who took an oath on a religion other than Islam as a liar would become so as he said, and he who slaughtered himself with a thing would be slaughtered with that on the Day of Resurrection.

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira: We participated in the Battle of Hunain along with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He (the Holy Prophet) said about a man who claimed to be a Muslim that he was one of the denizens of the Fire (of Hell). When we were in the thick of the battle that man fought desperately and was wounded. It was said: Messenger of Allah, the person whom you at first called as the denizen of Fire fought desperately and died. Upon this the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) remarked: He was doomed to the Fire (of Hell). Some men were on the verge of doubt (about his fate) when it was said that he was not dead but fatally wounded. When it was night he could not stand the (pain of his) wound and killed himself. The Apostle (may peace be upon him) was informed of that. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Allah is Great, I bear testimony to the fact that I am the servant of Allah and His messenger. He then commanded Bilal to announce to the people that none but a Muslim would enter Paradise. Verily Allah helps this faith even by a sinful person.

It is reported on the authority of Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi that there was an encounter between the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and the polytheists, and they fought (against one another). At the conclusion of the battle the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) bent his steps towards his army and they (the enemies) bent their steps towards their army. And there was a person (his name was Quzman and he was one of the hypocrites) among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) who did not spare a detached (fighter of the enemy) but pursued and killed him with the sword. They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: None served us better today than this man Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) remarked: Verily he is one of the denizens of Fire. One of the people (Muslims) said: I will constantly shadow him. Then this man went out along with him. He halted whenever he halted, and ran along with him whenever he ran. He (the narrator) said: The man was seriously injured. He (could not stand the pain) and hastened his own death. He placed the blade of the sword on the ground with the tip between his chest and then pressed himself against the sword and killed himself. Then the man (following him) went to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: I bear testimony that verily thou art the Messenger of Allah, He (the Holy Prophet) said: What is the matter? He replied: The person about whom you just mentioned that he was one among the denizens of Fire and the people were surprised (at this) and I said to them that I would bring (the news about him) and consequently I went out in search of him till I (found him ) to be very seriously injured. He hastened his death. He placed the blade of the sword upon the ground and its tip between his chest and then pressed himself against that and killed himself. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) remarked: A person performs the deeds which to the people appear to be the deeds befitting the dweller of Paradise, but he is in fact one of the denizens of Hell. And verily a person does an act which in the eyes of public is one which is done by the denizens of Hell, but the person is one among the dwellers of Paradise.

It is reported on the authority of Hasan: A person belonging to the people of the past suffered from a boil, when it pained him, he drew out an arrow from the quiver and pierced it. And the bleeding did not stop till he died. Your Lord said: I forbade his entrance into Paradise. Then he (Hasan) stretched his hand towards the mosque and said: By God, Jundab transmitted this hadith to me from the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) in this very mosque.

It is reported on the authority of Hasan: Jundab b. 'Abdullah al-Bajali narrated this hadith in this mosque which we can neither forget and at the same time we have no apprehension that Jundab could attribute a lie to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He (the Holy Prophet) observed: A person belonging to the people of the past suffered from a boil, and then the rest of the hadith was narrated.

It is narrated on the authority of 'Umar b. Khattab that when it was the day of Khaibar a party of Companions of the Apostle (may peace be upon him) came there and said: So and so is a martyr, till they happened to pass by a man and said: So and so is a martyr. Upon this the Messenger of Allah remarked: Nay, not so verily I have seen him in the Fire for the garment or cloak that he had stolen from the booty, Then the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Umar son of Khattab, go and announce to the people that none but the believers shall enter Paradise. He ('Umar b. Khattab) narrated: I went out and proclaimed: Verily none but the believers would enter Paradise.

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira: We went to Khaibar along with the Apostle (may peace be upon him) and Allah granted us victory. We plundered neither gold nor silver but laid our hands on goods, corn and clothes, and then bent our stops to a valley; along with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) there was a slave who was presented to him by one Rifa'a b. Zaid of the family of Judham, a tribe of Dubayb. When we got down into the valley the slave of the Messenger of Allah stood up and began to unpack the saddle-bag and was suddenly struck by a (stray) arrow which proved fatal. We said: There is a greeting for him, Messenger of Allah, as he is a martyr. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) remarked: Nay, not so. By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, the small garment which he stole from the booty on the day of Khaibar but which did not (legitimately) fall to his lot is burning like the Fire (of Hell) on him. The people were greatly perturbed (on hearing this). A person came there with a lace or two laces and said: Messenger of Allah, I found (them) on the day of Khaibar. He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: This is a lace of fire or two laces of fire.

It is narrated on the authority of Jabir that Tufail son of Amr al-Dausi came to the Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: Do you need strong, fortified protection? The tribe of Daus had a fort in the pre-Islamic days. The Apostle (may peace be upon him) declined this offer, since it (the privilege of protecting the Holy Prophet) had already been reserved for the Ansar. When the Apostle (may peace be upon him) migrated to Medina, Tufail son of Amr also migrated to that place, and there also migrated along with him a man of his tribe. But the climate of Medina did not suit him, and he fell sick. He felt very uneasy. So he took hold of an iron head of an arrow and cut his finger-joints. The blood streamed forth from his hands, till he died. Tufail son of Amr saw him in a dream. His state was good and he saw him with his hands wrapped. He (Tufail) said to him: What treatment did your Allah accord to you? He replied. Allah granted me pardon for my migration to the Apostle (may peace be upon him): He (Tufail) again said: What is this that I see you wrapping up your hands? He replied: I was told (by Allah): We would not set right anything of yours which you damaged yourself. Tufail narrated this (dream) to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). Upon this he prayed: O Allah I grant pardon even to his hands.

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Verily Allah would make a wind to blow from the side of the Yemen more delicate than silk and would spare none but cause him to die who, in the words of Abu 'Alqama, has faith equal to the weight of a grain; while Abdul-'Aziz said: having faith equal to the weight of a dust particle.

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed: Be prompt in doing good deeds (before you are overtaken) by turbulence which would be like a part of the dark night. During (that stormy period) a man would be a Muslim in the morning and an unbeliever in the evening or he would be a believer in the evening and an unbeliever in the morning, and would sell his faith for worldly goods.

It is narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that when this verse: " O ye who believe I raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor shout loud unto him in discourse, as ye shout loud unto one another, lest your deeds should become null and void, while you perceive not" (xlix. 2-5), was revealed. Thabit b. Qais confined himself in his house and said: I am one of the denizens of Fire, and he deliberately avoided coming to the Apostle (may peace be upon him). The Apostle (may peace be upon him) asked Sa'd b, Mu'adh about him and said, Abu Amr, how is Thabit? Has he fallen sick? Sa'd said: He is my neighbour, but I do not know of his illness. Sa'd came to him (Thabit), and conveyed to him the message of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). Upon this Thabit said: This verse was revealed, and you are well aware of the fact that, amongst all of you, mine is the voice louder than that of the Messenger of Allah, and so I am one amongst the denizens of Fire, Sa'd Informed the Holy Prophet about it. Upon this the Messenger of Allah observed: (Nay, not so) but he (Thabit) is one of the dwellers of Paradise.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik by another chain of transmitters in which these words are found: Thabit b. Qais was the orator of the Ansar, when this verse was revealed: the rest of the hadith is the same with the exception that there is no mention of Sa'd b. Mu'adh in it. This hadith is also transmitted by Ahmad b. Sa'id, Habban, Sulaiman b. Mughira on the authority of Anas who said: When the verse was revealed:" Do not raise your voice louder than the voice of the Apostle," no mention was made of Sa'd b, Mu'adh in it.

This hadith is narrated on the authority of Anas by another chain of transmitters in which there is no mention of Sa'd b. Mu'adh, but the following words are there: We observed a man, one of the dwellers of Paradise, walking about amongst us.

It is narrated on the authority of Abdullah b. Mas'ud that some people said to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him): Messenger of Allah, would we be held responsible for our deeds committed in the state of ignorance (before embracing Islam)? Upon his he (the Holy Prophet) remarked: He who amongst you performed good deeds in Islam, He would not be held responsible for them (misdeeds which he committed in ignorance) and he who committed evil (even after embracing Islam) would be held responsible or his misdeeds that he committed in the state of ignorance as well as in that of Islam.

It is narrated on the authority of Abdullah b. Mas'ud: We once said: Messenger of Allah, would we be held responsible for our deeds committed in the state of ignorance? He (the Holy Prophet) observed: He who did good deeds in Islam would not be held responsible for what he did in the state of ignorance, but he who committed evil (after having come within the fold of Islam) would be held responsible for his previous and later deeds.

This hadith has been transmitted by Minjab b. al-Harith Tamimi with the same chain of transmitters.

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Shamasa Mahri that he said: We went to Amr b. al-As and he was about to die. He wept for a long time and turned his face towards the wall. His son said: Did the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him not give you tidings of this? Did the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) not give you tidings of this? He (the narrator) said: He turned his face (towards the audience) and said: The best thing which we can count upon is the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. Verily I have passed through three phases. (The first one) in which I found myself averse to none else more than I was averse to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and there was no other desire stronger in me than the one that I should overpower him and kill him. Had I died in this state, I would have been definitely one of the denizens of Fire. When Allah instilled the love of Islam in my heart, I came to the Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: Stretch out your right hand so that may pledge my allegiance to you. He stretched out his right hand, I withdrew my hand, He (the Holy Prophet) said: What has happened to you, O 'Amr? replied: I intend to lay down some condition. He asked: What condition do you intend to put forward? I said: should be granted pardon. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Are you not aware of the fact that Islam wipes out all the previous (misdeeds)? Verily migration wipes out all the previous (misdeeds), and verily the pilgrimage wipes out all the (previous) misdeeds. And then no one as or dear to me than the Messenger of Allah and none was more sublime in my eyes than he, Never could I, pluck courage to catch a full glimpse of his face due to its splendour. So if I am asked to describe his features, I cannot do that for I have not eyed him fully. Had I died in this state had every reason to hope that I would have bee among the dwellers of Paradise. Then we were responsible for certain things (in the light of which) I am unable to know what is in store for me. When I die, let neither female mourner nor fire accompany me. When you bury me, fill my grave well with earth, then stand around it for the time within which a camel is slaughtered and its meat is distributed so that I may enjoy your intimacy and (in your company) ascertain what answer I can give to the messengers (angels) of Allah.

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that some persons amongst the polytheist had committed a large number of murders and had excessively indulged in fornication. Then they came to Muhammad (may peace be upon him) and said: Whatever you assert and whatever you call to is indeed good. But if you inform us that there is atonement of our past deeds (then we would embrace Islam). Then it was revealed: And those who call not unto another god along with Allah and slay not any soul which Allah has forbidden except in the cause of justice, nor commit fornication; and he who does this shall meet the requital of sin. Multiplied for him shall be the torment on the Day of Resurrection, and he shall therein abide disgraced, except him who repents a believes and does good deeds. Then these! for the Allah shall change their vices into virtues. Verily Allah is Ever Forgiving, Merciful (xxv. 68-70). Say thou: O my bondsmen woo have committed extravagance against themselves despair not of the Mercy of Allah I Verily Allah will forgive the sins altogether. He is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful (xxxix. 53).

Hakim b. Hizam reported to 'Urwa b. Zubair that he said to the Messenger of Allah: Do you think that there is any thing for me (of he reward with the Lord) for the deed of religious purification that I did in the state of ignorance? Upon this he (the Apostle of Allah) said to him: You accepted Islam with all the previous virtues that you practised.

Hakim b. Hizam reported to 'Urwa b. Zubair that he said to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him): Messenger of Allah, do you think if there is any reward (of the Lord with me on the Day of Resurrection) for the deeds of religious purification that I performed in the state of ignorance, such as charity, freeing a slave, cementing of blood-relations? Upon this he (the Apostle of Allah) said to him: You have accepted Islam with all the previous virtues that you had practised.

It is narrate on the authority of Hakim b. Hizam: I said: Messenger of Allah, I did so some of the deeds in the state of ignorance. (One of the transmitters Hisham b. Urwa explained them as acts of piety. Upon this the Messenger, of Allah remarked: You have embraced Islam with all the previous acts of virtue. I said: By God, I would leave nothing undone in Islam the like of which I did in the state of ignorance.

Hisham b. Urwa narrated it on the authority of his father: Hakim b. Hizam freed one hundred slave and donated one hundred camels (for the sake of Allah) during the state of ignorance. Then he freed one hundred slaves and donated one hundred camel (for the sake of Allah) after) he had embraced Islam. He subsequently came to the Apostle (may peace be upon him). The rest of the hadith is the same as narrated above.