KITAB ARBA'IN AN-NAWAWI
by: Imam An-Nawawi
Islam, Iman, Ihsan and the Signs of the Hour
عَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَيْضًا قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ جُلُوسٌ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ إِذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ شَدِيدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ شَدِيدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعَرِ، لَا يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ، وَلَا يَعْرِفُهُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى جَلَسَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: «يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ»، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْإِسْلَامُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا» قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ، فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ يَسْأَلُهُ وَيُصَدِّقُهُ، قَالَ: «فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ»، قَالَ: «أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللهِ، وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ، وَكُتُبِهِ، وَرُسُلِهِ، وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ، وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ»، قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ، قَالَ: «فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِحْسَانِ»، قَالَ: «أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ»، قَالَ: «فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ»، قَالَ: «مَا الْمَسْئُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ»، قَالَ: «فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَمَارَاتِهَا»، قَالَ: «أَنْ تَلِدَ الْأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا، وَأَنْ تَرَى الْحُفَاةَ الْعُرَاةَ الْعَالَةَ رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُونَ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ»، ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ فَلَبِثْتُ مَلِيًّا، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي: «يَا عُمَرُ أَتَدْرِي مَنِ السَّائِلُ؟» قُلْتُ: اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: «فَإِنَّهُ جِبْرِيلُ أَتَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِينَكُمْ»۔
[رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ]Translation:
It is also narrated from Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: One day, while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), a man suddenly appeared before us whose clothes were intensely white and whose hair was intensely black. No traces of travel were visible on him, and none of us recognised him . He went and sat down by the Prophet (ﷺ), leaning his knees against his (ﷺ) knees and placing his hands on his thighs, and said, "O Muhammad, inform me about Islam." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "Islam is that you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, that you establish prayer, give zakah, fast in Ramadan, and perform the pilgrimage of Hajj if you can find means." The man said, "You have spoken the truth." We were amazed at him: he asked him a question and then confirmed its truth himself . The man said, "Inform me about faith (Iman)." The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "It is that you believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and that you believe in destiny, both its good and its bad." The man said, "You have spoken the truth." He said, "Inform me about excellence (Ihsan)." The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "It is that you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then indeed He sees you." The man said, "Inform me about the Hour." The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "The one being asked about it knows no more than the questioner." The man said, "Then inform me about its signs." The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "That the slave girl will give birth to her mistress, and that you will see barefoot, naked, destitute shepherds competing with one another in constructing tall buildings." Then the man departed . I remained for a while, and then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Umar, do you know who the questioner was?" I said, "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said, "Indeed, he was Jibril (Gabriel); He came to you to teach you your religion." [Muslim]
Benefits of the Hadith:
-
1
The Three Fundamental Degrees of Religion (Islam, Iman, Ihsan):
Religion is not limited to outward acts of worship, but consists of three important degrees :
• Islam (Outward Actions): This is the practical structure of the religion, which includes acts of worship such as the Shahadah, prayer, fasting, Zakah, and Hajj .
• Iman (Inward Beliefs): This is the foundation of the religion . It includes complete belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and destiny (that both good and bad occur by Allah's decree) . (When Islam and Iman are mentioned together, Islam refers to outward actions and Iman refers to inward beliefs) .
• Ihsan (The Highest Level of Worship): This is the highest degree of servitude to Allah, meaning worship is performed with such sincerity as if you are seeing Allah (the level of observation), and if that is not possible, then having the complete certainty that He sees you (the level of vigilance) . -
2
Etiquette of Seeking Knowledge and Guidance for Teachers:
• The Method of Question and Answer: The question-and-answer method is the best way to teach knowledge . Asking questions is the key to knowledge; a proud person can never learn .
• Etiquette of the Study Circle: Sitting politely before a teacher, wearing clean clothes (which is not arrogance), and sitting in the gathering with full attention and alertness are extremely necessary for acquiring knowledge .
• Saying "I do not know": Saying "I do not know" regarding something one does not have knowledge of does not lower a person's status . Furthermore, a teacher should limit the answer to a broad question to important and necessary points . -
3
Knowledge of the Unseen and the Signs of the Hour:
• Knowledge of the Unseen is with Allah alone: Only Allah possesses the absolute knowledge of when the Hour will come . Despite his greatness, the Prophet (ﷺ) knew only as much of the unseen as Allah informed him . It is incorrect to consider the Prophet (ﷺ) as knowing the unseen (Alim al-Ghayb) .
• Signs of the Hour: The reversal of social values (such as a slave girl giving birth to her mistress) and poor shepherds competing to build tall buildings are among the signs of the Hour . -
4
The Status of Angels and Allah's Mercy:
• Allah's Mercy and Guidance: It is a special mercy from Allah that He creates various means for the guidance of humanity . The coming of Jibril (upon him be peace) in human form was a means for the Companions to learn their religion .
• Virtue of Jibril (upon him be peace): According to the Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, He is an extremely honoured, powerful, and trusted angel of Allah who performs the duties of bringing revelation, teaching the religion, and helping the believers .