KITAB ARBA'IN AN-NAWAWI
by: Imam An-Nawawi

Benefits of the Hadith:

• 1
  The Foundation of Religion and Following the Messenger ﷺ:
  • Completion of the Shariah: This hadith is clear evidence that the religion of Islam has been completed . Therefore, there is no room for adding anything to it or removing anything from it .
  • Following the Qur’an and Sunnah: The foundation of acts of worship and all aspects of life, including dealings and transactions, is the Qur’an and authentic Hadith, rather than human opinions or personal preferences (istihsan) .
  • The Characteristic of a Believer: The distinguishing characteristic of a true believer is following the Messenger ﷺ (ittiba‘), rather than introducing innovations into the religion (ibtida‘) .
• 2
  The Definition of Bid‘ah and the Scope of Its Prohibition:
  • What is Bid‘ah? Bid‘ah refers to introducing a new belief, statement, or practice into the religion and considering it part of the religion, despite it not being present during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his Companions .
  • Difference Between Religious and Worldly Matters: The prohibition applies only to newly introduced matters related to religion . New inventions and developments in worldly affairs do not fall under this prohibition .
  • Bid‘ah is Without a Basis: According to the statement of the Messenger ﷺ, “that which is not in accordance with our command”, bid‘ah has no valid basis in Islamic law . Therefore, every religious innovation is rejected .
• 3
  The Criterion for the Acceptance of Deeds:
  The Scale by Which Deeds Are Judged: This hadith serves as a criterion for evaluating deeds . Just as an action performed without sincerity does not earn reward, likewise, an action that does not conform to the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ is unacceptable before Allah and is rejected .
• 4
  The Importance of Islamic Knowledge:
  • The Root Cause of Innovation: A fundamental cause of innovations and misguidance is ignorance and lack of knowledge concerning the legal evidence of Islam .
  • Continuous Pursuit of Knowledge: A person must continue seeking knowledge so that they may acquire a correct understanding of the commands of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ and protect themselves from misguidance .
• 5
  The Compassion of the Prophet ﷺ:
  Sincere Concern for the Ummah: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was extremely compassionate and merciful toward his Ummah . Therefore, he warned his Ummah in advance about every path that could lead to the destruction or rejection of their deeds .