نصيحة خير الأنام لأصحابه الكرام The Advice of the Best of Creation to His Noble Companions

2. ‫ام‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا م‬
The Advice of
the Best of Creation
to His Noble Companions
By the_middle_road

3. ‫ت وإ َ ِ ُ ا ْ ِئ َ َ َى‬
ٍ َِ ِ ِ ‫إ َ ا َْ ْ َ ل‬
ُ ِ
“Actions are but by intentions and every man shall have what he intended…”
(Sahīh Bukhārī and Muslim)

4. Foreword
All praise is due to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the entire universe. And the peace
and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad his family and his companions.
Tamīm al-Dārī related that the Prophet said, “The dīn is nasīhah.” “To whom?” we asked.
“To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and their common people,”
he replied.
(Sahīh Muslim)
We usually associate the word ‘nasīhah’ with the concept of giving someone advice.
Although that is correct, it is, however, much broader than that. This is supported by the
hadīth mentioned above, since to translate nasīhah here as advice would not make much
sense. To translate it as ‘sincerity’ might be more appropriate but that too does not convey the
whole sense of the meaning of the word. The word nasīhah can be said to mean, ‘to truly
want the best for the person one is giving nasīhah to’. We advise people because we want the
best for them.
It is for this - wanting the best for you, the ‘‘āmmah al-muslimīn (the generality of Muslims)’
- that this booklet has been compiled. It is a collection of some of the words of advice which
the Prophet gave to his Companions . He commanded us with this in the hadīth, but
he was also the best exemplar of carrying that out. The ahādīth are taken from the six
authentic books of hadīth as well as the Musnad of Imām Ahmad, and they are all either
sahīh or hasan, to the best of my knowledge.
Jazākumullāhu khair to Abu Mus’ab and Al-Farooq for their help and assistance, as well as
Al-hayaa.

5. Notes about the Translation
Each hadīth consists of a sanad (a chain of narration) and a matn (the wording of the actual
hadīth). The Arabic includes both the sanad and the matn. However, for the sake of brevity,
only the matn has been translated and not the sanad.
The words of the Prophet are written in blue, quotations from the Qur’ān are in green, and
the sanad of the hadīth is in grey.
Certain Arabic terms have been transliterated and not translated, in cases where I felt the
English equivalent does not convey the whole sense of the word. Those who are unfamiliar
with the meaning of these words can refer to the glossary at the end of the book.
Words in square brackets are words which are not explicitly mentioned in the Arabic text but
which are necessary in the translation in order for it to be understood properly.

6. Advice to Abū Bakr
ٍ ِ ‫َ َ َ ا ْ َ َ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ إ ْ َ ِ ُ ْ ُ َ ش َ ْ ُ َ ِ ْ ِ ز َ د َ ْ أ ِ َا‬
‫َ ر‬ ٍ ِ ٍ ِ
‫َل‬
َ ِ ‫ا ْ ُ ْ َا‬
ُ ‫ا‬ َ ِ ‫َِْ َ ِ ْر ُ لا‬
ِ َ ِ َ ْ َ ُ َ ُ ْ ُ َ ‫أ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ا ِ ْ َ َ ْ ِو ْ ِ ا ْ َ ص‬
ِ َ
‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ َ ل‬
َ َ َ ِ ‫َ ِ َ ً َ َ ل َ َا َ َ َ َ ِ ر ُ ل ا‬
ُ َ ‫آ‬ ‫َه‬ َ‫َ َ ْ ِ و َ َ َ َ ْ َ إ‬
ِ َ
‫َ أ ُ ل إ َا‬
‫َ ُ ِذ‬ ِْ َ ِ ‫َ ر ِ َ ا ُ َ ْ ُ َ ل َ ر ُ ل ا‬
َ َ َ َ ‫َ َ َ ْت َ ِ َا ِ َ ِن أ َ َ ْ ٍ ا‬
َ ‫إ‬ ‫ُ ذ‬
ِ ْ َ ْ ‫أ ْ َ ْ ُ وإ َا أ ْ َ ْ ُ َ َ ل َ أ َ َ ْ ٍ ُ ْ ا ُ َ ِ َ ا َ َات َا ْ َرْض َ ِ َ ا‬
ِ ‫ِو‬ َ َ َ ‫َِذ‬ َ
‫َ ْء و َِ َ ُ أ ُ ذ ِ َ ِ ْ َ َ ْ ِ و ِ ْ َ ا ْ َ ن‬
ِ َ ُ َ َ ٍ ُ ‫َا َ دة َ إَ َ إ أ ْ َ َب‬
‫َِ ِ ِ َ ر آ‬ ‫و‬
ٍ ِْ ُ َ‫ُ ًا أوْ أ ُ ُ إ‬
ِ َ َ ‫ء‬ ِ ْ َ ََ ‫و ِ ْ ِ ِ وأنْ أ ْ َ ِف‬
َ َ ََ ‫َ آ‬
Abū Rāshid al-Hubrānī said, “I came to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās and said to him,
‘Relate to us what you heard from the Messenger of Allah .’ So he gave me a piece of
paper and said, ‘This is what the Messenger of Allah wrote to me.’
So I looked and saw in it that Abū Bakr al-Siddīq, may Allah be pleased with him, had said,
‘O Messenger of Allah, teach me what I should say in the morning and in the evening.’ So he
replied, ‘O Abū Bakr, say, “O Allah, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the
unseen and the visible, there is none worthy of worship but You, the Lord and Owner of
everything. I seek protection in You from the evil of my nafs, from the evil of shaitān and his
[calling to] shirk, and that I should commit any evil against myself or bring it upon another
Muslim.”’”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī)
Points to Ponder
• Ahādīth were written down at the time of the Prophet .
• The importance of making dhikr at the two ends of the day.
• The importance of seeking Allah’s protection against all evil.

7. Advice to ‘Umar
ِ ََ ْ‫ِ َ ٌ ا‬
‫ك‬ َِ َ ‫ِ ْ ِ َ ُ ْ ُ َ ر‬
ٍ ََ َ َ ُ ُ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ ََ َ ‫َ ََ ُ َ ُ ْ ُ َ ر‬
ٍ
‫ُ َ ُ ْ ُ اْ َ ب َ ل‬
َ ِ َِ َ ‫َ ْ ُ ا ِ ْ ُ اْ َ س‬
ِ َِ َ ٍ ْ َ ‫أُ ز‬
ُ َ
ٌ ‫َ ِ ٍ َ ل َ ََ ْ ُ َ ِ َا ََ ْ ِ إ َا‬
‫ِز ر‬ ‫ذ‬ َ ََ َ ُ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ و‬
‫َه‬ َ َ ِ ‫د َ ْ ُ ََ ر ُ ل ا‬
ِ َ َ
ٍ َ َ‫ع و‬
‫ِ َ ظ‬ ‫َ ْ ِ وإ َا أ َ ِ َ ْ َ ٍ ِ ْ َ ِ ٍ َ ْ ِ ا‬
َ ‫َِذ‬ ِ َ ‫وَ ْ َ ََ ْ ِ َ ْ ُ ُ وإ َا ا ْ َ ِ ُ َ ْ أ‬
َ ‫َِذ‬ َ
ُ ْ ُ َ ‫ِ َ ِ َ ٍ ِ ا ْ ُ ْ َ ِ وإ َا إ َ ٌ ُ َ ٌ َ ْ َ َرتْ َ ْ َ ي َ َ ل َ ُ ْ ِ َ َ ا ْ َ ا ْ َ ب‬
ِ َ َ َ ‫َِذ ِه ب‬
َ ‫َ ْ ِ َ و َ ِ ِ ِ َا َ ُ َ َ أ َى ِ َ إ‬
ِ ‫َر‬ ‫َه‬ ِ َ ‫َ َ ِ ا ِ و َ ِ َ أ ْ ِ و َ َا ا ْ َ ِ ُ َ ْ أ‬
َ ‫َه‬ َ َ
‫أ َى وذِ َ ِ ْ َى و َ ْ َ ُ ِ ا َ ر َا ْ َ ْ َ ر وأ ْ َ َ ِ ا ِ و َ ْ َ ُ ُ و َ ِ ِ ِ َا َ ُ َ َ ل‬
َ ‫َه‬ َ ََ ِ ‫ِو‬ َ ‫آ‬ َ َ ‫َر‬
ََ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ ‫َ ا ْ َ ا ْ َ ب أَ َ ْ َ أنْ َ ُ ن َ َ ا ْ ِ َة وَ ُ ْ ا‬
َ ُ َ َ َ ِ
‘Umar said, “I entered upon the Messenger of Allah while he was [lying down] on a mat. I
sat down [and looked around]: he had on an izār, and nothing else; the mat had left an imprint
upon his side; and where I was [sitting], there was a handful of barley, amounting to about
one sā‘.1 There was some material used for tanning hides in a corner of the room and an
untanned hide hanging [on the wall]. [On seeing all this] my eyes suddenly filled with tears.
He asked me, ‘What makes you cry, O son of al-Khattāb?’ ‘O Prophet of Allah, and why
should I not cry!?’ I exclaimed. ‘This mat has left an imprint upon your side, and this treasury
of yours – I see nothing in it except what I can see. And there are Kisrā and Qaisar,2 in the
midst of fruits and rivers; and you are the Prophet of Allah and His Chosen One, and this is
your treasure house.’ He said, ‘O son of al-Khattāb, are you not content that for us there is the
ākhirah, and for them there is the dunyā?’ “Yes,” I replied.”
(Sunan ibn Mājah)
1
A cubic measure equivalent to approximately 2 600 grams.
2
The titles of the rulers of the Persian and Byzantium empires.

8. Points to Ponder
• The poverty and asceticism of the Prophet .
• The love, care and concern ‘Umar had for the Prophet .
• ‘Umar cried.
• The superiority of the ākhirah over the dunyā. Be content with the ākhirah and do not
seek to gain the riches of this world.

9. Advice to ‘Uthmān
ِ ْ َ َ‫َ ََ ا ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ ٍ َ ْ ُ َ و‬
ِ َُ ْ‫ُ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ا‬ َ َ َ ‫َ َ َ َ ْ ُ د ْ ُ َ َْ ن‬
َ ُ
َ َ ِ َ ْ َ ٍ ِ َ ِ ْ ‫َ ِ ٍ َ ْ رِ َ َ ْ ِ َ ِ َ َ ْ َ ْ ِ ا ِ ْ ِ َ ِ ٍ َ ْ ا ْ َ ن‬
ِ َ
‫ُ َ َ ِ ً َ ِنْ أ َا ُوك‬
َ ‫َر د‬ َُ َ ‫ُ ْ َ ن إ ُ َ َ ا‬
ِ ُ َ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ َ ل‬
َ َ َ ِ ‫َن ا‬
‫أ‬
ْ ُ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ََ ِ ِ ْ َ ََ
‘Ā’ishah related that the Prophet said, “O ‘Uthmān, indeed, perhaps Allah will clothe you
with a shirt, so if they try to make you take it off, then do not do so for them.” 3
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī)
Points to Ponder
• Allah granted the Prophet knowledge about certain things which would happen in
the future.
• The importance of remaining firm upon the truth, no matter the consequences.
3
The shirt is a metaphor for the khilāfah and taking it off is a metaphor for stepping down.

10. Advice to ‘Alī
‫َ ِ ٌ َ ْ أ ِ ر ِ َ َ ا ْ ِ َ ِي َ ْ ا ْ ِ ُ َ ْ َة‬
َ ‫د‬ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ‫َ َ َ إ ْ َ ِ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ ا ْ َ َا ِي أ‬
َ ‫ر‬ ِ
‫َ ْ أِ ِ َ ل‬
َ َ
َ‫َ ُ ْ ِ ْ ا ْ َة ا ْ َة َ ِن َ َ ا ُْو‬
َ َ َِ َ ِ َ ِ َ َ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و‬
َ َ ِ ‫َلر ُ لا‬
ُ َ َ
‫و َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ا ْ ِ َة‬
ُ َ
The Messenger of Allah told ‘Alī, “O ‘Alī, do not follow one glance with another, for
certainly, the first one is for you, but not the second.”4
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī and Sunan Abū Dāwūd)
Points to Ponder
• ‘Alī was still a youth when this was said to him.
• We are forgiven for unintentional mistakes.
• The importance of lowering the gaze.
4
i.e. one is not held accountable for the first unintentional glance at a non-mahram woman, only for the second
intentional one.

11. Advice to ibn ‘Abbās
ُ ْ ‫َ ْ ُ ا ِ ْ ُ ا ْ ُ َ رك أ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ ٍ َا‬
‫و‬ َ ِ َ ََ َْ ‫أ‬
َ َ ُ ِ ْ ِ َ ُ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ ‫َ ََ أ‬
َ
َ َ َ ِ َِ ْ ‫ْ َ ِ أ ْ َ َ َ أ ُ ا‬
َ َ ‫َْ ُ ا ِ ْ ُ َْ ِ ا‬ ََ َ ‫َ ِ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ِ ْ ِ اْ َ ج َ ل‬
َ ِ
‫َ ْ اْ ِ َ س‬
ٍ ِ َْ ‫َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ا ْ َ ج ا ْ َ ْ َ َا ِ ٌ َ ْ َ َ ٍ ا‬
‫و‬ ِ َِ َ ٍ ْ َ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ
‫َل‬
َ
َ ‫أ َ ُ َ َِ َ ت ا ْ َ ْ ا‬
ٍ ‫آ‬ ُ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ َ ْ ً َ َ ل َ َُ م إ‬
ِ ُ َ َ َ ِ ‫ُ ْ ُ َْ َ ر ُ ل ا‬
ِ َ ‫آ‬
َ ُ ْ ‫َ ْ َ ْ َ ا ْ َ ْ ا َ َ ِ ْ ُ ُ َ َ َ إ َا َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َلْ ا َ وإ َا ا ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ ِ ْ ِ ِ َا َْ ْ َن ا‬
‫أ‬ ‫و‬ ‫َِذ‬ ‫ه ِذ‬
ْ‫َ ْ ا ْ َ َ َ ْ ََ أنْ َ ْ َ ُ ك ِ َ ْء َ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ك إ ِ َ ْء َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ا ُ َ َ وَ ْ ا ْ َ َ ُ ا ََ أن‬
َ َ ‫ٍ آ‬ َِ ٍ َ َ
ُ ُ ‫َ ُ وك ِ َ ْء َ ْ َ ُ وك إ ِ َ ْء َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ا ُ ََ ْ َ ر ِ َ ْ ا ْ َ َْ م و َ ْ ا‬
َ ُ ُ ‫ٍ آ‬ َِ ٍ َ
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās said, “One day I was behind the Messenger of Allah when he said to
me, ‘O young boy, indeed I shall teach you some words [of advice]. Be mindful of Allah, and
He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him facing you. If you ask [for
something], ask of Allah; and if you seek help, seek help from Allah.
Know that even if the ummah were to gather together to benefit you with something, they
would not benefit you except with that which Allah has already decreed for you. And if they
were to gather together to harm you with something, they would not harm you except with
that which Allah has already decreed upon you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have
dried.’”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī)

12. Another version reads:
َْ ُ ‫َ ْ ُ ا ِ ْ ُ َ ِ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ ُ ا ْ َ َ ِ َ ِ ا ْ َ ج ْ ِ ا ْ ُ َا ِ َ ِ َ ل أ‬
َ َ ِ ‫آ‬ ََ َ
ِ ْ‫ا‬ َ‫ر َ َ ُ إ‬
ِ َ َِ َ ‫َ ِ ٍ َ َ َ َ َ وأ‬
ََ ِ ُ ُ َ ْ‫ْ َ ِ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ا ِ ْ ُ َ ِ َ وأ َ َ ْ رأ‬
َ ََ ‫ه‬ ‫ا‬
ُ ِ َ ِ ‫َ م ْ ُ َ َْ أُ َ ْ ِ ا‬
َ ُ ‫ه‬ َِ َ ‫ا ْ ِ َ س َ ل و‬
َ َ ٍ َ‫َ س أوْ أ ْ َ َ ُ إ‬
ِ َ َ ٍ
ْ َ ‫َ ْ ُ ا ِ ْ ُ َ ِ َ َ وَ ِ ُ ْ ُ َ ِ َ اْ ِ ْ ِ ن‬
ِ َ َِ َ ‫ا ْ ِ َ س و‬
َ ٍ َ‫ا ْ َ ْ ِي أ ْ َ َ ُ إ‬
ِ َ
ٍ ْ َ ْ َ ْ ِ ِ ْ َ َ ِ َ ُ َ ْ ‫َ ِ ا ْ ِ َ س وَ أ‬
َ َ ٍ ِ َْ ‫َ ْ ِ ْ ِ اْ َ ج َ ْ ََ ٍ ا‬
ِ
‫أ ُ َل‬
َ َ
َ ُ َ ْ َ ‫َُ ُ أَ أ َ ُ َ َِ َ ت‬
ٍ ‫آ‬ ُ َ َ ْ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ َ َ ل َ َُ م أو‬
َ ُ َ َ َ ِ ‫ُ ْ ُ رد َ ا‬
َِ ‫آ‬
‫َء‬
ِ ‫ا ُ ِ ِ َ ُ ْ ُ ََ َ َ ل ا ْ َ ْ ا َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ا ْ َ ْ ا َ َ ِ ْ ُ أ َ َ َ َ َ فْ إَ ْ ِ ِ ا‬
ِ َ َ
ٌ ِ َ َ ُ َ ِ ُ ََ ْ ‫ا‬
‫ه آ‬ َ ْ َ ِ ِ ْ ِ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ ‫ة وإ َا َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َلْ ا َ وإ َا ا‬
‫َِذ‬ ‫ِ َ ِذ‬ ‫َ ْ ِْ َ ِ ا‬
ْ‫ََ ْ َن ا ْ َ ْ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ِ ً أ َا ُوا أنْ َ ْ َ ُ ك ِ َ ْء َ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ا ُ ََ ْ َ َ ْ َ ْ ِ ُوا ََ ْ ِ وإن‬
َِ ‫ر‬ ٍ َ َ ‫َر د‬ ‫آ‬ ‫أ‬
َ ََ ِ ْ ‫أ َا ُوا أنْ َ ُ وك ِ َ ْء َ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ا ُ ََ ْ َ َ ْ َ ْ ِ ُوا ََ ْ ِ َا َْ ْ َن ِ ا‬
‫أ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ر‬ ٍ َ َ ‫َر د‬
‫ْ ِ وَن ا ْ َ َج َ َ ا ْ َ ْب وَن َ َ ا ْ ُ ْ ِ ُ ْ ًا‬
‫ِ َأ‬ َ ‫َأ‬ ‫َْ ََا‬ ‫َ ْ َ ُ َ ْ ًا َ ِ ًا وَن ا‬
‫َأ‬ ‫آ‬
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās said, “I was once behind the Prophet on a mount when he said to
me, ‘O young boy - or O little boy - shall I not teach you some words by which Allah will
benefit you?’ ‘Of course,’ I replied.
He then told me, ‘Be mindful of Allah, and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you
will find Him in front of you. Become acquainted with Him in [times of] ease, and He will be
acquainted with you in [times of] difficulty. If you ask [for something], ask of Allah; and if
you seek help, seek help from Allah.
The [ink of] the pen has already dried concerning that which will be: so even if the entire
creation – all of them together – wanted to benefit you with something which Allah did not
decree for you, they would not be able to do that. And if they wanted to harm you with
something which Allah did not decree upon you, they would not be able to do that. Know
that in being patient with that which you dislike, there lies much good; that with patience
comes victory, with distress comes relief, and with hardship comes ease.’”
(Musnad Ahmad)

13. Points to Ponder
• The care and concern the Prophet had for the young.
• The Prophet prepared ibn ‘Abbās to receive the advice by informing beforehand
that he was about to tell him something of significance.
• Seek help from the Creator, not the creation.
• Be content with the Divine Decree.
• Difficult times are bound to pass.

14. Advice to Abū Hurairah
ٍ َِ ِ ‫َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ ْ ُ َ ِ ٍ َ َ َ إ ْ َ ِ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ٍ َ ْ َ ْ ٍو َ ْ َ ِ ِ ْ ِ أ‬
َ ِ
‫ا ْ َ ْ ُ ِي َ ْ أ ِ ُ َ ْ َة ر ِ َ ا ُ َ ْ ُ أ ُ َ ل‬
َ َ َ َ ‫َ ه‬
َ ْ‫ُ ْ ُ َ ر ُ ل ا ِ َ ْ أ ْ َ ُ ا س ِ َ َ َ ِ َ َ ْم ا ْ ِ َ َ ِ َ َ ل َ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ أ َ ُ َ ْ َة أن‬
َ َ ‫َ ه‬ َ َ ِ َ َ َ
‫َ ْ َ َا ا ْ َ ِ ِ أ َ ٌ َول ِ ْ َ ِ َ رأ ْ ُ ِ ْ ِ ْ ِ َ ََ ا ْ َ ِ ِ أ ْ َ ُ ا س‬
ِ َ ََ ُ ‫َ أ‬ ‫ه‬ ِ ََ ْ َ
ِ ِ ْ َ ِ َ ِ ْ ِ ً ِ َ ُ ‫ِ َ َ َ ِ َ ْم ا ْ ِ َ َ ِ َ ْ َ ل َ إَ َ إ ا‬
ِ ِ َ َ
Abū Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, who
will be the most fortunate of mankind in receiving your intercession on the Day of
Resurrection?’ He replied, ‘I certainly thought, O Abū Hurairah, that no one would ask me
about this hadīth before you, because of what I noticed concerning your great desire for
[learning] hadīth. The most fortunate of mankind to receive my intercession on the Day of
Resurrection will be those who say ‘Lā ilāha illa Allah’5 sincerely, of their own accord.’”
(Sahīh al-Bukhārī)
Points to Ponder
• The word hirs means greed, avidity, covetousness, desire, aspiration, avarice. That is
the attitude Abū Hurairah had towards hadīth.
• Say ‘Lā ilāha illa Allah’ and be of the fortunate ones.
• Another version of the hadīth states that it should be said from the heart.
5
Meaning, “There is none worthy of worship except Allah”.

15. ‫‪Advice to Ubay‬‬
‫ْ َ ِ َ ْ أِ ِ َ ْ أِ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ْ ُ ا ْ َ ِ ِ ْ ُ ُ َ ٍ َ ْ ا ْ ََ ء ْ ِ َ ْ ِ ا‬
‫ِ‬ ‫َ ََ َُ َْ ُ َ ََ‬
‫ُ َ ْ َة‬
‫ه َ‬
‫ا ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫أَ ْ ِ َ ْ ٍ َ َ ل ر ُ ل ا ِ‬
‫َ َ ُ‬ ‫آ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ َ َج ََ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َن ر ُ ل ا ِ‬
‫أ َ َ‬
‫َ َ َ ُ ا ْ َ َف إَ‬
‫َِ‬ ‫أَ‬
‫ُ‬ ‫وَ ْ ُ ِ ْ ُ و َ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ َْ َ َ أَ‬
‫ُ‬ ‫وَُ ُ َ‬
‫َه‬ ‫ََ ْ ِ و َ َ َ أ َ‬
‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬
‫ا ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ َ َ ل ا َ م ََ ْ َ َ ر ُ ل ا ِ َ َ ل ر ُ ل ا ِ‬
‫َ َ ُ‬ ‫َ َ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫رُ لا ِ‬
‫َ ِ‬
‫ُْ ُ‬
‫آ‬ ‫أنْ ُ ِ َ ِ إذْ د َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ل َ ر ُ ل ا ِ إ‬
‫ِ‬ ‫َ َ َ‬ ‫ِ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ َ ْ ِ و َ َ و ََ ْ َ ا َ م َ َ َ َ َ َ أ َ‬
‫ُ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬
‫َ ة َ ل أ ََ ْ َ ِ ْ ِ َ أوْ َ ا ُ إَ أنْ‬
‫ِ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ِ ََ‬ ‫ِ ا‬
‫ُ ل إ َا د َ ُ ْ ِ َ ُ ْ ِ ُ ْ‬
‫ِ ِذ َ آ‬ ‫ا ْ َ ِ ُ ا ِ ِ وِ‬
‫َ‬
‫َ ل ََ وَ أ ُ د إنْ َ ء ا ُ َ ل أ ُ ِ أنْ أ َ َ َ ُ رةً َ ْ َ ْ ِلْ ِ ا ْ َاة وَ ِ ا ْ ِ ْ ِ ِ‬
‫رِ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ُ‬ ‫ََ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ َ ُِ‬ ‫َ‬
‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫وََ ِ ا ُ ر وَ ِ ا ْ ُ ْ َ ن ِ ُْ َ َ ل َ َ ْ َ ر ُ ل ا ِ َ ل ر ُ ل ا ِ‬
‫َ َ ُ‬ ‫َ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ َ‬
‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ة َ ل َ َ َأ ُم ا ْ ُ ْ ن َ َ ل ر ُ ل ا ِ‬
‫َ َ ُ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ َ َ أ‬ ‫و َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َأ ِ ا‬
‫ُ‬ ‫آ‬ ‫َ‬
‫َا ِي َ ْ ِ ِ َ ِ ِ َ ُ ْ َِ ْ ِ ا ْ َاة وَ ِ ا ْ ِ ْ ِ ِ وَ ِ ا ُ ر وَ ِ ا ْ ُ ْ َ ن ِ ُْ َ‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ِ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫رِ َ‬ ‫أ‬ ‫و‬
‫َا ْ ُ ْ ن ا ْ َ ِ ُ ا ِي أ ْ ِ ُ ُ‬
‫ُ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫و‬ ‫َ ْ ٌ ِ ْ اْ ََ ِ‬ ‫وإ َ‬
‫َِ‬

16. Abū Hurairah related that the Messenger of Allah went out and passed by Ubay ibn Ka’b.
He called out, “O Ubay,” while Ubay was performing salāh; so he turned [his head]
around but did not respond to him. He completed his salāh, shortening it, then turned to the
Messenger of Allah and said, “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah.”
He replied, “And upon you be peace. What prevented you, O Ubay, from responding to
me when I called you?” “O Messenger of Allah, indeed, I was in salāh,” he answered. He
asked, “Did you not find in what Allah revealed to me: ‘Respond to Allah and to the
Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life’?” 6 “Certainly,” he said, “and I will
not do that again, in shā Allah.”
He asked, “Do you love that I should teach you a sūrah, the like of which was not revealed in
the Taurāh, nor the Injīl, nor the Zabūr, nor in the [rest of] the Furqān?” “Yes, O Messenger
of Allah,” he replied. Then the Messenger of Allah asked him, “What did you recite in the
salāh?” So he recited the Mother of the Qur’ān.7 At that, the Messenger of Allah said, “By
Him in whose grasp is my soul, the like of it was not revealed in the Taurāh, nor the Injīl, nor
the Zabūr nor in the [rest of] the Furqān. And it is the Seven Oft-Repeated [verses] and the
Great Qur’ān which I was given.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī)
Points to Ponder
• The importance of responding to the Prophet .
• The superiority of the Fātihah over all other revelation.
6
al-Qur’an (8: 24).
7
The Fātihah, the first chapter of the Qur’ān.

17. Advice to Mu‘ādh
ٍ ْ َ ُ ُ ْ ‫َ ْ َة‬
ُ َ َ َ ‫َ ْ ُ ا ِ ْ ُ َ ِ َ ا ْ ُ ْ ِئ‬
ُ َ َ َ ‫ُ َ ْ ُ ا ِ ْ ُ ُ َ َ ْ ِ َ ْ َ َة‬
َ ََ َ
‫َ ْ َُذ‬
ِ َِِ ‫َْ ا‬ ُِ ُ ْ ‫ْ َ ِ ا‬ ‫َْ ِ ا‬ ُ‫أ‬
َ ِ َ َ ‫َ ل َ ِ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ ُ ِْ ٍ َ ُ ل‬
ُ َ
ٍ ََ ِ ْ
‫َُ ِ َ َا ِ إ‬
ِ ‫و‬ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ أ َ َ ِ َ ِ ِ و َ ل َ ُ َ ذ َا ِ إ‬
ِ ‫ُ و‬ َ َ َ َ َ ِ ‫َن ر ُ ل ا‬
َ َ ‫أ‬
‫ََ ذآْ ِك‬
َ ِ ِ ‫ََ ة َ ُ ل ا ُ أ‬
َ ُ ٍ ُ ِ ُ‫د‬
‫ُ آ‬ ِ َ َ َ َ ‫َُ ِ َ َ َ ل ُو ِ َ َ ُ َ ذ‬
ُ ‫َ أ‬
َ ِ ‫و ُ ْ ِك و ُ ْ ِ ِ َ د‬
َ َ َ َ
Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal related that the Messenger of Allah took him by the hand and said, “O
Mu‘ādh, by Allah, indeed I surely love you. By Allah, indeed, I surely love you.” Then he
said, “I advise you, O Mu‘ādh: do not leave off saying at the end of every salāh,8 ‘O Allah,
help me [to engage in] remembrance of You, thankfulness towards You, and beautiful
worship of You.’”
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd)
Points to Ponder
• The Prophet held the hand of Mu‘ādh .
• The Prophet loved Mu‘ādh and he expressed that love.
• The importance of always being constant in doing acts of worship.
8
i.e. either after the salāh or in the last part of it.

18. ‫َ ْ َ ْ َ ٍ َ ْ َ ِ ِ ْ ِ أِ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َْ ِ‬ ‫َْ ُ ا ِ ْ ُ ُ َ ذ ا‬
‫ٍ‬ ‫ُ َ َ َ ََ‬ ‫َ ََ ا ْ ُ أِ‬
‫َ‬
‫ا ُ د َ ْ أ ِ َا ِ ٍ َ ْ ُ َ ذ ْ ِ َ َ ٍ َ ل‬
‫َ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫َ و‬ ‫ِ‬
‫َ َ ٍ ََ َْ ْ ُ َ ْ ً َ ِ ً ِ ْ ُ وَ ْ ُ َ ِ ُ َ ُْ ُ َ‬
‫َ‬ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ ِ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ُْ ُ َ َ ا ِ‬
‫آ‬
‫َ ْ َ ِ ٍ وإ ُ‬
‫َِ‬ ‫َ ْ ا ر َ ل َ َ ْ ََ ْ َِ‬
‫ِ َ‬ ‫ر ُ ل ا ِ أ ْ ِ ْ ِ ِ َ َ ٍ ُ ْ ُِ ِ ا ْ َ َ و ُ َ ِ ُ ِ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ َ‬
‫َ ة وُ ِْ ا َ ة‬
‫آَ‬ ‫َ َ‬ ‫َ ْ َ َ ُ ا ُ ََ ْ ِ َ ْ ُ ُ ا َ وَ ُ ْ ِكْ ِ ِ َ ْ ً و ُ ِ ُ ا‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ َ ِ ٌ ََ‬
‫ََ ُ‬ ‫ْم ُ ٌ َا‬
‫و‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ا ْ َ ْ َ ُ َ ل أَ أد َ ََ أ ْ َاب ا ْ َ ْ ِ ا‬
‫َ ِ‬ ‫َ َ َُ‬ ‫وَ ُ م ر َ َ ن وَ ُ‬
‫َ َ‬ ‫ُ َ‬ ‫َ‬
‫ُ ِ ِ ْ َ ْف ا ْ ِ َ ل ُ ََ‬
‫َ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ُ ْ ِ ُ ا ْ َ ِ َ َ َ َ ُ ْ ِ ُ ا ْ َ ء ا ر و ََ ة ا‬
‫ُ َ َ ُ‬ ‫آ‬
‫ُ ُ ُ ُ ْ َ ِ ا ْ َ َ ِ ِ َ ْ ُ ن ر ُ ْ َ ْ ً و َ َ ً و ِ رز ْ َ ُ ْ ُ ْ ِ ُ ن َ َ َ َْ ُ َ ْ ٌ‬
‫َ‬ ‫ََ ه‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ َ‬ ‫ََ َ َ‬
‫َ أ ْ ِ َ َ ُ ْ ِ ْ ُ ة أ ْ ُ ٍ َ َاء ِ َ َ ُ ا َ ْ َُ ن‬
‫َ‬ ‫ً آ‬ ‫َِ‬ ‫ُ‬
‫ُ َ ل أَ أ ْ ِ ُك ِ َأْس ا ْ َ ْ ِ ُ ِ و َ ُ د ِ وذرْوة َ َ ِ ِ ُ ْ ُ ََ َ ر ُ ل ا ِ َ ل رأْس‬
‫َ َ ُ‬ ‫َ َ‬ ‫آ َ ِ َ ِ َِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ََ ُ‬
‫َ ة وذرْوة َ َ ِ ِ ا ْ ِ َ د ُ َ ل أَ أ ْ ِ ُك ِ ََ ك ذِ َ ُ ِ ُ ْ ُ‬
‫ِ َ آ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ََ ُ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ُ َ ِ َُ‬ ‫ا ْ َ ْ ِ ا ْ ِ َْ م و َ ُ د ُ ا‬
‫ُ َ ُ‬
‫ََ ْ َ َ َا َ ُ ْ ُ َ َ ِ ا ِ وإ َ ُ َا َ ُون ِ َ َ َ َ ُ ِ ِ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َِ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ََ َ َ ِ ا ِ َ َ َ َ ِِ َ ِ ِ َ ل ُ‬
‫َآ‬
‫ََ ِ ِ ِ ْ إ‬
‫ه ِ‬ ‫َ َ ل َ َِ ْ َ أ َ َ ُ َ ذ و َ ْ َ ُ ا س ِ ا رِ ََ و ُ ِ ِ ْ أوْ ََ‬
‫ُ ه َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ُ َه‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬
‫َ َ ِ ُ أْ َِِ ِ ْ‬
‫َ‬

19. Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal said, “I was once on a journey with the Prophet . One morning I
happened to be close by to him while we were travelling, so I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah,
tell me about a deed which will enter me into Paradise and distance me from the Fire.’ ‘You
have certainly asked me about something immense,’ he replied, ‘but it is indeed easy for the
one for whom Allah makes it easy. [It is that] you worship Allah and do not associate
anything with Him, that you establish the salāh, give the zakāh, fast the month of Ramadān,
and perform the pilgrimage to the House.’9
Then he added, ‘Shall I not guide you to the doors of goodness? Fasting is a shield; charity
extinguishes sins just as water extinguishes fire, and [so too does] the salāh of a person in the
depths of the night.’ Then he recited, ‘Their sides forsake their beds, to call on their Lord in
fear and hope; and from what We have provided them, they spend. So no soul knows what is
kept hidden for them of delights of the eye - as a reward for what they used to do.’ 10
Then he said, ‘Shall I not tell you about the head of all matters, its pillar and its peak? The
head of all matters is Islam, its pillar is salāh and its peak is jihād.’
‘Shall I not tell you about the foundation of all of that?’ he then asked. ‘Of course, O Prophet
of Allah,’ I responded. So he took hold of his tongue and said, ‘Restrain this.’ ‘O Prophet of
Allah, are we going to be taken to account for all the things we say!?’ I exclaimed. He
replied, ‘May your mother be bereft of you!11 O Mu‘ādh, is there anything which causes
people to be toppled into the Fire on their faces – or their noses – except the harvests of their
tongues?’”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī)
Points to Ponder
• The kind of questions the Sahābah asked and the things that concerned them.
• Observing the five pillars will cause you to enter Paradise.
• There is safety in silence.
• The sins of the tongue are numerous and great, and cause people to enter the Fire.
9
i.e. the Ka’bah in Makkah.
10
al-Qur’an (32: 16 - 17).
11
An exclamation of amazement, not meant to be taken literally.

20. Advice to ‘Ā’ishah
َ َ ِ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َُ ِ ‫َ ْ ُ ا ْ َه ب َ َ َ أ ب َ ْ ا ْ ِ أ‬
َ ُ َ ِ ََ َ ٍ ِ َ ُ ْ ُ َْ َُ ََ
َ َْ ُ ‫ر ِ َ ا‬
َ
ُ َ ِ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ََ ‫ََ ْ َ َ ل و‬
َ َ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ َ َ ُ ا ا م‬
ُ َ َ ِ ‫َن ا ْ َ ُ د أ َ ْا ا‬
َ َ ‫أ‬
َ ًْ َ َ َ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و‬
َ َ ِ ‫َ َ ْ ُ ْ و َ َ َ ُ ْ ا ُ و َ ِ َ ََ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ل ر ُ ل ا‬
ُ َ َ َ َ ‫ا م‬
ُ
َ ِ َ ْ َ ْ َ‫ْ ِ وإ ك َا ْ ُ ْ َ أوْ ا ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ أوَ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ُ ا َ ل أو‬
َََ ََ َ ‫َِ ِ و‬ ِ ِ ْ ََ ُ َ ِ َ
ِ ْ ُ َ ‫ُ ْ ُ رددْت ََ ْ ِ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ ب ِ ِ ِ ْ وَ ُ ْ َ َ ب‬
ُ َ ُ ُ ََ
‘Ā’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, related that the Jews came to the Prophet and
said, “Death be upon you.” He replied, “And upon you.” So ‘Ā’ishah said, “Death be upon
you, may Allah curse you and may He be angry with you.”
The Messenger of Allah then told her, “Take it easy, O ‘Ā’ishah. You should be gentle,
and you should beware of harshness or obscenity.” “Did you not hear what they said?” she
protested. He replied, “Did you not hear what I said? I responded to them, so it was accepted
from me but not from them.”
(Sahīh al-Bukhārī)

21. Another version reads:
ٍ ِ َ ِ ْ ِ َ‫َ ٌ َ ََ َ ِ ٌ َ ْ أ‬
َ ‫د‬ ََ َ ٌ َ ُ ََ َ
َ ِ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ َ َ ُ ا ا م ََ ْ َ َ َ ل ا‬
َ ُ َ َ ِ ‫َن ا ْ َ ُ د د َُ ا ََ ا‬
َ َ ‫أ‬
ُ َ ْ َ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ ا م ََ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ِ َ ُ ا م ََ ْ ُ ْ َ إ ْ َان ا ْ ِ َدة َا ْ َ َ ز ِ و‬
َ ِ ‫َِ و‬ َ ِ ُ ُ َ
َ ِ ْ ِ َ َ ‫َ ِ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ر ُ ل ا ِ أ َ َ ِ ْ َ َ َ ُ ا َ ل أو‬
َََ َ َ َ َ ‫ا ِ و َ َُ ُ َ َ ل‬
َ َ
َُ َ ‫َ ْء إ َا َ ُ وَ ْ ُ ْ َعْ ِ ْ َ ْء إ‬
ٍِ َ ‫ٍِ ز‬ ِ ُ ْ ‫َ ِ َُ َْ َْ ُ ْ ا‬ َ ْ ِ ْ ََ ‫رددْت‬
ُ ََ
Anas ibn Mālik related that the Jews entered upon the Prophet and said, “Death be upon
you.” The Prophet replied, “Death be upon you.” ‘Ā’ishah then said, “Death be upon you,
O brothers of apes and pigs, and the curse of Allah and His Anger.”
He then said, “O ‘Ā’ishah, stop.” “O Messenger of Allah, did you not hear what they said?”
she protested. He replied, “Did you not hear what I replied to them? O ‘Ā’ishah, gentleness
never enters anything, except that it beautifies it; and it is not removed from anything, except
that it disfigures it.”
(Musnad Ahmad)
Points to Ponder
• The tact and diplomacy of the Prophet in his reply to them.
• The love ‘Ā’ishah had for the Prophet .
• Gentleness makes things beautiful.
• Harshness, indeceny and using foul language are not qualities befitting a believer.

22. Advice to Asmā’
ِ ِ َ ْ َ ُ َِ ْ ‫َ َ َ َ َ ا‬ ِ‫و ُ َ ُ ْ ُ اْ َ ْ ِ اْ َ ا‬
َ ِ َ ْ َْ ‫َ َ َ َ ْ ُ ب ْ ُ َ ْ ٍ ا‬
‫آ‬ ‫ُ آ‬
َ ْ َ ُ ‫ْ ِ َ ِ ٍ َ ْ َ َ دة َ ْ َ ِ ٍ َ ل َ ْ ُ ب ا ْ ُ در ْ ٍ َ ْ َ ِ َ َ ر ِ َ ا‬
َ َُ ُ َ ََ
ٌ َ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ و ََ ْ َ ِ َ ٌ ر‬
‫ب ِ ق‬ َ َ َ ِ ‫َن أ ْ َ ء ِ ْ َ أ ِ َ ْ ٍ د ََ ْ ََ ر ُ ل ا‬
ِ َ َ َ َ َ ‫أ‬
ْ َ ََ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ و َ ل َ أ ْ َ ء ِن ا ْ َ ْأة إ َا‬
‫َ َ ِذ‬ ‫َ َ َ ُ إ‬ َ َ ِ ‫َ َ ْ َض َ ْ َ ر ُ ل ا‬
ُ َ َ
ِ ْ َ ‫َ َ ْ َ ُْ ْ أنْ ُ َى ِ ْ َ إ َ َا و َ َا وأ َ ر إَ و ْ ِ ِ و‬
‫َآ‬ َ ِ َ ََ ‫ِ ه َه‬ َ ِ َ ْ‫ا‬
‘Ā’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, related that Asmā’ bint Abū Bakr entered upon the
Messenger of Allah while wearing a thin garment. So the Messenger of Allah turned
away from her and said, “O Asmā’, indeed, when a woman attains puberty it is not proper
that anything should be seen of her, except this and this,” – and he pointed to his face and
hands.
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd)
Points to Ponder
• The Prophet turned away from Asmā’ . If we were to meet him , would he
turn away from us as well?
• We should not look at people who are dressed inappropriately.

23. ‫‪Advice to Fātimah‬‬
‫َ ْ َ ِ ٍ َ ْ ِ ا ْ ُ َ ِي َ ْ أ ِ ا ْ َرْد َ ْ‬
‫ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ْ ُ ا ْ َ َْ‬ ‫َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ََ ٍ َ َ َ‬
‫ا ْ ِ أ ُْ َ َ ل‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬
‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫و َ ْ َ ِ َ َ ِْ ِ ر ُ ل ا ِ‬
‫َ ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ر ِ َ ا ُ َ ْ ُ أَ أ َ ُ َ َ‬
‫َ ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َِ‬ ‫َلِ‬
‫َ‬
‫أ َ ِ َِ َ‬
‫ه‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫و َ َ و َ َ ْ ِ ْ أ َ أَهِْ ِ إَ ْ ِ ُ ْ ُ ََ َ ل إ َ َ تْ ِ‬
‫َِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َآ‬ ‫َ‬
‫ا ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ا ْ َ تْ ِ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ا ِ‬ ‫أ َ ِ َ ْ ِ َ و ََ َ ْ اْ َ ْ َ َ‬
‫ه َآ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َا ْ َ َ ْ ِ ْ ِ ْ َ ِ َ‬
‫و‬
‫ََ ْ ِ و َ َ َ َ ٌ َ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ أ َ ْ ِ أ َ ك َ َ َ ْ ِ ِ َ د ً َ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َتْ ِ ْ َ ُ ُ ا ً َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ‬
‫ه‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫َ َ ِ‬ ‫م‬ ‫َ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ِ ْ ا ْ َ ِ َ َ ل َ َ ن َ َ ُ ِ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ ُ أ َ أ َ ُ َ َ ر ُ ل ا ِ َ تْ ِ‬
‫َ َ‬ ‫َ ُ‬ ‫َ آ َ‬
‫أ َتْ ِ َ ْ ِ َ ََ أنْ َ ءك ا ْ َ َم أ َ ْ ُ َ أنْ َ ْ ِ َ َ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َُ‬ ‫ََ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫َ‬ ‫أ َتْ ِ َ ِ َ و َ ََ ْ ِ ْ ِ ْ َ ِ َ‬
‫ه َ‬ ‫َ‬
‫َ ِ َ ِ ِ َ ل ا ِ ا َ َ َ ِ َ ُ وَدي َ ِ َ َ ر ِ َا ْ َِ‬
‫َ و‬ ‫َأ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ََ َْ ْ ِ َ َ َ د ً َ ِ َ‬
‫ِ‬
‫َ َ َ أهِْ ِ َ ِ َا أ َ ْت َ ْ َ َ ِ َ َ ِ ََ ً و ََ ِ َ َا ْ َ ِي ََ ً و ََ ِ َ و َ ِي أرْ َ ً‬
‫َ‬ ‫َآ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫و‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ذ َ ِ‬ ‫َ‬
‫َ‬ ‫و َ َ ِ َ َ ِ ْ َ ِ َ ٌ َ ِ َ َ ْ ٌ َ ِ ِ ْ َ دم َ َ ْ ر ِ ُ َ ْ ا ِ َ و َ و َ ْ ر ُ ِ ِ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ٍِ‬ ‫َ‬
‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ‬
‫َ‬

24. ibn A‘bud said, “‘Alī, may Allah be pleased with him, said to me, ‘Shall I not tell you about
myself and Fātimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah , who was the most beloved of
his family to him?’ ‘Certainly,’ I replied.
He said, ‘Indeed, she used the hand mill to the extent that it left marks on her hands, she drew
water with a waterskin to the extent that it left marks on the upper part of her chest, and she
swept the house to the extent that her clothes became dust-coloured. Then some servants
came in to the possession of the Prophet , so I said, “If only you would go to your father
and ask him for a servant.” She went to him but found him busy speaking with some men, so
she returned.
He then came to her the following day and enquired, “What is it that you need?” She kept
quiet, so I spoke up, “I will tell you, O Messenger of Allah. She used the hand mill to the
extent that it left it marks on her hands and she carried the waterskin to the extent that it left
marks on the upper part of her chest. So when some servants came in to your possession, I
commanded her to go to you and ask you for a servant who would protect her from [having to
do] the difficult work she is doing.”
He said, “Be mindful of Allah, O Fātimah, carry out the duties of your Lord, and work in the
service of your family. Then when you lie down to sleep, say ‘Subhānallah’ thirty-three
times, ‘Alhamdulillāh’ thirty-three times and ‘Allāhu akbar’ thirty-four times - and that
makes one hundred – for that is better for you than a servant.” She responded, “I am pleased
with Allah ‘azza wa jall and with His Messenger .”’”
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd)

25. Another version reads:
َْ َْ َ ْ‫َ ْ ُ َْ َ ا‬ َْ َ ََ َ ٌ َ ُ ََ َ ‫ُ َْ ُ ح‬
‫د‬ ََ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ ََ َ
‫َل‬
َ َِ ََ َ ‫َ ل ُ َ ٌ َ ل‬
َ ‫د‬ َ َْ َ ِ ‫ا ْ َ َ ِ َ ْ ا ْ ِ أ‬
َ
ٍ ْ َ ِ َ ِ َُ َ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ َ َ ْ َ ِ َ ِ َ ِ ْ ا‬
‫ه‬ َ َ ِ ‫َ َ ْ َ ِ َ ُ إَ ا‬
ِ
َ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ ْ ‫ا ُ ََ ْ ِ و َ َ أ‬
َ َ َ ِ ‫َءا‬
َ ََ َ َ ِ َ َ َِ ِ ْ‫َ َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َُ ُ ََ ْ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ َت‬
ِ ْ َ َ َ ‫و َ ْت َ ْد‬
َ ُ َ َ ََْ َ َ َ َ َ ‫َ َ ِ ُ َ َ َ ء‬
َ ََ ‫و َ ْ أ َ ْ َ َ َ ِ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ِ َ ُ م َ َ ل‬
َ َ ‫ه‬ َ َ
َ ِ ََ ‫َ َ ْ ُ َ إ َا أ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ِ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ََ ً و‬
َ َ ‫ِذ‬ ِ ٍ َْ ََ َ ُ ‫َ ْ ِي َ َ ل أَ أد‬
َُ َ َ ‫ر‬ ََ
‫َا ْ َ َا ََ ً و ََ ِ َ و َ َا أرْ َ ً و ََ ِ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ ٌ َ ُ َ ِ ْ َ دم‬
ٍِ َ َ ‫َآ‬ َ ‫و‬
‘Alī said, “Fātimah complained to the Prophet about the marks left on her hands from her
using the hand mill. A slave then came in to the possession of the Prophet . So she went to
him to ask him [for a servant], but did not see him. She then informed ‘Ā’ishah about why
she had come and when the Prophet arrived, ‘Ā’ishah related to him what had happened.
He then came to us while we had already lain down to sleep. We began to stand up, but he
told us, ‘[Stay] on your places.’ He then came and sat between us until I felt the coldness of
his feet on my chest. He said, ‘Shall I not guide you two to that which is better than what you
asked for? When you lie down to sleep, say ‘Subhānallah’ thirty-three times, ‘Alhamdulillāh’
thirty-three times and ‘Allāhu akbar’ thirty-four times, for that is better for you than a
servant.’”
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd)

26. Points to Ponder
• The poverty of ‘Alī and Fātimah , despite their high standing.
• How hard Fātimah worked. She is a queen and the leader of the women of
Paradise, but not in this world.
• The shyness Fātimah had for her father. In another version it states that she hid
her face under the blanket out of shyness for the Prophet .
• The respect ‘Alī and Fātimah had for the Prophet in that they tried to stand up
for him.
• The intimacy the Prophet had with the two of them.
• The Prophet commanded his daughter to have taqwā.
• The superiority of dhikr over material gain.
• The importance of making dhikr before going to sleep.

27. “Know that the one who has given you sincere advice
has displayed love for you.”
(Imām al-Hārith al-Muhāsibī)

28. ُ ُ َْ َ ً ْ َ َ ِ ‫ا ُ إ َ ُ ذ ِ َ ِ ْ أنْ ُ ْ ِك‬
َ َ ُ ِ
ُ َْ َ َ َ ِ ‫و َ ْ َ ْ ِ ُ ك‬
َ َ
“Oh Allah! Indeed, we seek Your protection from knowingly associating anything with You,
and we seek Your forgiveness for what we are unaware of.”
(Musnad Ahmad)
‫ا‬

29. Glossary
ahādīth – plural of hadīth.
dīn – a way of life or religion.
hadīth - a saying of the Prophet .
hasan – good. A hadīth that can be relied upon to be true but of a slightly lower category than
sahīh.
Injīl - the revelation given to Jesus, peace be upon him.
in shā Allah - Meaning, “If Allah wills”.
izār - a garment that is wrapped around the waist and which covers the lower part of the
body.
Furqān - the Criterion, another name for the Qur’ān.
jihād - striving in the path of Allah.
khilāfah – the position of leadership over the Muslim community.
nafs - the self.
nasīhah – sincere advice.
sahīh – authentic. A hadīth that can be relied upon to be true.
salāh - the prayer which Muslims perform five times daily.
shaitān - the devil, Satan.
shirk - associating partners with Allah.
sūrah - a chapter of the Qur’ān.
taqwā – God-consciousness.

30. Taurāh - the Torah: the revelation given to Moses, peace be upon him.
ummah - the Muslim nation.
Zabūr - the Psalms: the revelation given to David, peace be upon him.
zakāh - the wealth of the rich which is given to the poor. It is calculated at 2.5% of the wealth
stored for one year.

32. The Advice of
the Best of Creation
to His Noble Companions
Part II
By
the_middle_road

33. ‫إِنﱠما األَعمال بِالنﱢيﱠات وإِنﱠما لِكل امرئ ما نَوى‬
َ َ ٍ ِ ْ ‫ِ َ َ ُ ﱢ‬ ُ َ ْ ْ َ
“Actions are but by intentions and every man shall have what he intended…”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī and Muslim)

34. Foreword
All praise is due to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the entire universe And the
, universe.
peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muḥammad his family and his companions.
Tamīm ad-Dārī related that the Prophet said, “The dīn is naṣīḥah.” “To whom?”
we asked. “To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and their
common people,” he replied.
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
We usually associate the word ‘
‘naṣīḥah’ with the concept of giving someone advice.
’
Although that is correct, it is, however, much broader than that. This is supported by
the ḥadīth mentioned above, since to translate naṣīḥah here as advice would not make
much sense. To translate it as ‘sincerity’ might be more appropriate but that too does
not convey the whole sense of the meaning of the word. The word naṣī
īḥah can be said
to mean, ‘to truly want the best for the person one is giving naṣīḥah to’. We advise
people because we want the best for them.
It is for this - wanting the best for you, the ‘‘
‘‘āmmah al-muslimīn (the generality of
Muslims)’ - that this booklet has been compiled. It is a collection of some of the
words of advice which the Prophet gave to his Companions . He
commanded us with this in the ḥadīth, but he was also the best exemplar of carrying
,
that out. The aḥādīth are taken from the six authentic books of ḥadīth as well as the
Musnad of Imām Aḥmad, a they are all either ṣaḥīḥ or ḥasan, to the best of my
, and ,
knowledge.
The intent was always for this compilation to include forty aḥādīth. However, I feel
.
that people do not have the patience to read that much in an online format, nor do I
have the capacity to do that much at once. Thus it is broken up into parts, and what
you have before you now is part two of the book.
Jazākumullāhu khair to Abu Mus’ab and Al Farooq for their help and assistance, as
Al-Farooq
well as Al-hayaa.

35. Notes about the Translation
A ḥadīth consists of a sanad (a chain of narration) and a matn (the wording of the
actual ḥadīth). The Arabic includes both the sanad and the matn. However, for the
). .
sake of brevity, only the matn has been translated and not the sanad.
The words of the Prophet are written in blue, quotations from the Qur’ are in
Qur’ān
green, and the sanad of the ḥadīth is in grey, with the names of the narrators a slightly
darker shade.
Certain Arabic terms have been transliterated and not translated, in cases where I felt
the English equivalent does not convey the whole sense of the word. Those who are
unfamiliar with the meaning of these words can refer to the glossary at the end of the
the
book.
Words in square brackets are words which are not explicitly mentioned in the Arabic
text but which are necessary in the translation in order for it to be understood
properly.

36. Contents
1) Advice to Zubair ibn al
al-‘Awwām 1
2) Advice to ‘Abdur Raḥm ibn ‘Awf
mān 3
3) Advice to Sa’d ibn Ab Waqqāṣ
Abū 6
4) Advice to Abū Mūsā al
al-Ash’arī 9
5) Advice to Abū Dharr al
al-Ghifārī 11
6) Advice to Abū Sa’īd al
d al-Khudrī 13
7) Advice to Abū Umāmah al-Bāhilī
mah 15
8) Advice to Abū Umayyah aḍ-Ḍamrī 17
9) Advice to ‘Abdur Raḥm ibn Samurah
mān 19
10) Advice to Ḥakīm ibn Ḥ
n Ḥizām 21
11) Advice to Anjashah 23

37. Advice to Zubair ib al-‘Awwām
ibn
‘Abdullāh ibn Zubair related, “ man from the Anṣār argued with Zubair in th
h “A the
presence of the Messenger of Allah concerning the streams of al-Ḥarrah from
arrah
which date palms are watered. The Anṣārī said, ‘Release the water so that it might
flow,’ but Zubair refused. They brought their dispute to the Messenger of Allah
who told Zubair, ‘Water [your crops] O Zubair, and then send the water to your
Water
neighbour.’ The Anṣārī became angry at this and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah this is
‘O Allah,
because he is your cousin!1’ The face of the Prophet of Allah
! changed colour [out
of anger at hearing this] and he said, ‘O Zubair, water [your crops] and then retain the
O
water until it reaches your walls
walls.’
Zubair said, ‘By Allah, I consider this āyah to have been revealed concerning that:
By e
“No, by your Lord, they will not be true believers until they let you decide between
No,
them in all matters of dispute, and find no resistance in their souls.2”’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
1
Paternal aunt’s son.
2
al-Qur’an (4: 65).
1

38. Points to Ponder
• The Prophet first told Zubair to be generous to his neighbour and give
up part of what was rightfully his, but after hearing the reply of the Anṣārī he
instructed Zubair to keep what was due to him.
• The scholars state that if anyone were to say something similar to what this
Anṣārī said, it would a statement of disbelief and take him out of the fold of
,
Islam.
• There is one view which states that this Anṣārī was one of the hypocrites.
• When the Prophet became angry, it could be seen on his face
face.
• A believer happily accepts the decisions of the Messenger .
2

39. Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf
Advice to ‘Abdur Raḥ
Anas related, “‘Abdur Raḥ
Abdur Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf arrived in Madīnah and the Prophet
nah
established a bond of brotherhood between him and Sa’d ibn Rab al-Anṣ
Rabī’ Anṣārī. Sa’d
offered to share half of his family and wealth with him, but ‘Abdur Raḥm
Raḥmān
responded, ‘May Allah bless you in your family and your wealth. Show me to the
marketplace.’ He then made a profit acquiring some cottage cheese and clarified
profit,
butter.
The Prophet saw him a few days later, and there was a trace of yellowness upon
him. ‘What is this, O ‘Abdur Raḥmān?’ he asked. ‘O Messenger of Allah,’ he replied,
.
‘I have married a woman from the Anṣār.’ ‘What have you given her?’ he inquired.
I ’
Gold date-pit.3’ The Prophet
He replied ‘Gold amounting to the weight of a date then told
him, ‘Have a wedding feast, even if it is with just a single sheep.’”
Have
(Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī)
3
According to the majority of scholars, this amount is equivalent to five dirhams.
3

40. Another version reads:
Anas related, “When ‘Abdur Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf arrived in Madīnah, the Prophet
,
established a bond of brotherhood between him and Sa’d ibn Rab ’. Sa’d said to him,
Rabī’.
‘Come, I will share half my wealth with you. I also have two wives, so I will divorce
one of them and when her ‘iddah ends, you can marry her.’ ‘Abdur Raḥm
Raḥmān
responded, ‘May Allah bless you in your family and your wealth. Show me to the
ponded,
marketplace.’ So he did. ‘Abdur Raḥmān came back that very same day with some
cottage cheese and clarified butter which was left over [from his sales of that day].
is
After that, the Prophet saw him and there was a trace of yellowness upon him.
‘What is this?’ he asked. ‘ have married a woman from the Anṣār,’ he replied. ‘
’ ‘I ’ ‘What
have you given her as dowry? he inquired. He replied ‘Gold amounting to the weight
dowry?’ Gold
of a date-pit.’ The Prophet
.’ then told him, ‘Have a wedding feast, even if it is with
Have
just a single sheep.’”
(Sunan Tirmidhī)
4

41. Points to Ponder
• The bond of brotherhood was deep and something special, more than the
regular brotherhood which exists between all believers. The success of the
Muslim society in Mad nah depended on this brotherhood. This is something
Madīnah
we seem to have lost
lost.
• The willingness of the Anṣār to sacrifice their possessions and even their
families to people who were, at that time, complete strangers to them
them.
• The determination of the Muhājirūn to earn their livelihood with their own
hands.
• ‘Abdur Raḥmān applied scent derived from saffron.
• The ease with which people got married back then.
he
• The Prophet was not upset at not being invited to the wedding.
• The importance of having a wedding feast.
5

42. Advice to Sa’d ibn Ab Waqqāṣ
Abū
6

43. Sa’d ibn Abū Waqqāṣ related “I was with the Messenger of Allah
related, on the farewell
pilgrimage, when I became so sick that I was on the verge of death. The Messenger of
Allah visited me and I mentioned to him, ‘O Messenger of Allah, indeed, I have much
wealth but there is no one to inherit from me, except one daughter. Should I bequeath
[as charity] two-thirds of my wealth? ‘No,’ he replied. ‘Then half of it I asked.
thirds wealth?’ it?’
‘No,’ he said again. ‘Then a third?’ I inquired. ‘ third,’ he responded, ‘
. ‘A , ‘but a third is
a lot. Indeed, O Sa’d, it is better for you to leave your heirs being rich than to leave
them poor, begging from people. Indeed, O Sa’d, you will never spend anything,
desiring thereby the Countenance of Allah Most High, except that you will be
rewarded for it, even for the morsel of food which you place in your wife’s mouth.
mouth.’
I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, am I going to be left behind by my companions, [here
in Makkah]?’ ‘Indeed, you will never be left behind, he replied, ‘and you will never
Indeed, behind,’ and
perform deeds by which you desire the Countenance of Allah, except that you will be
increased thereby in rank and high standing. And perhaps you will remain alive until,
through you, Allah benefits many nations and harms many others. O Allah! Complet
Complete
for my companions their migration, and do not cause them to turn back on their heels
heels.
The unfortunate one, however, is Sa’d ibn Khawlah.’ The narrator explained ‘The
ortunate explained,
Messenger of Allah felt sorrow and pity for him, as he had died at Makkah.
Makkah.’”
(Musnad Aḥmad)
7

44. Points to Ponder
• The importance of visiting the sick.
• Charity begins at home
home.
• All permissible deeds, even playing and fooling around with one’s wife can
even wife,
be an act deserving of reward, if it is done with the correct intention (The
intention.
phrase ‘the morsel of food which you place in your wife’s mouth is literal, not
the mouth’
figurative).
• The Ṣaḥābah disliked returning to that which they had left for the sake of
Allah, despite the fact that it was their homeland They did not want to die in
homeland.
Makkah since they feared it would nullify the reward of their m
migration.
• Sa’d lived until he conquered Iraq and became its governor, thereby
harming many people and benefiting many others. This ḥadīth is thus one of
the miracles of the Prophet , as his prophecy was fulfilled.
8

45. Advice to Ab Mūsā al-Ash’arī
Abū
Abū Mūsā al-Ash’arī related, “I was once with the Messenger of Allah
related, on a
journey. When we came near to Mad
Madīnah, the people started saying ‘All
Allāhu akbar’
and raised their voices [while doing so]. The Messenger of Allah
while told them, ‘O
people, indeed you are not calling upon One who is deaf, nor who is absent. Indeed,
ne
the One upon whom you call is between you and the necks of your mounts.
ne mounts.’
Then he asked me, ‘O Ab Mūsā, shall I not guide you to a treasure from among
Abū ,
the treasures of Paradise?’ ‘What is it?’ I inquired. ‘[The saying of] Lā ḥawla wa lā
’
quwwata illā billāh,’ he replied.
’ replied.”
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd)
9

46. Points to Ponder
• Allah ta’ālā is near; He hears your call.
• Enrich yourself with the treasures of Paradise.
10

47. Advice to Ab Dharr al-Ghifārī
Abū
Abū Dharr related, “The Messenger of Allah
, said to me, ‘O Abū Dharr, indeed I
can see that you are weak, and I certainly love for you what I love for myself: [so] do
not ever become a leader of [even] two people, and do not take responsibility for the
wealth of an orphan.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
11

48. Points to Ponder
• The love the Prophet had for his Ṣaḥābah .
• Leadership is a heavy burden and responsibility; none should take it on except
those capable of fulfilling its rights.
• The wealth of an orphan is a dangerous trust to be accountable for Unlawfully
for.
consuming it is to eat the Hellfire.
12

49. Advice to Ab Sa’īd al-Khudrī
Abū
Abū Sa’īd al-Khudrī related that the Messenger of Allah told him, “ Abū Sa’īd,
“O
whoever is pleased with Allah as a Lord with Islam as a way of life, and with
Lord,
Muḥammad as a Prophet, Paradise becomes obligatory for him. Abū Sa’ was
ammad him.” ū Sa’īd
amazed at hearing this and said, “Repeat it to me, O Messenger of Allah!” So he did.
Thereafter he said, “And there is something else, by which a slave is raised a hundred
And
levels in Paradise, the distance between each two levels being as [wide as] the
distance between the sky and the earth.” “What is it, O Messenger of Allah?” I asked.
”
He replied, “Jihād in the path of Allah jihād in the path of Allah.”
Allah,
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
13

50. Points to Ponder
• Make Paradise your right: be pleased with Allah ta’ālā, with Islam and with
,
the Prophet .
• The importance and virtue of jihād.
14

51. Advice to Ab Umāmah al-Bāhilī
Abū
Abū Sa’īd al-Khudrī narrated, “One day the Messenger of Allah entered the
āmah.
mosque, and there was a man there from the Anṣār called Abū Umāmah He asked
him, ‘O Abū Umāmah, what is the matter? How come I see you sitting in the mosque
,
when it is not the time for ṣalāh?’ ‘Because of persistent worries and debts that I
have, O Messenger of Allah,’ he replied. He asked, ‘Should I not teach you some
‘Should
words, which if you say them, Allah ‘
‘azza wa jall will take away your worries and
settle your debts for you?’ ‘ course, O Messenger of Allah!’ he responded.
’ ‘Of
He told him, ‘Say in the morning and in the evenings: “O Allah! Indeed, I seek
mornings O
refuge in You from worry and grief; I seek refuge in You from helplessness and
laziness; I seek refuge in You from cowardice and miserliness; and I seek refuge in
You from being overwhelmed by debt and from being subjugated by men. Abū
men.”’
Umāmah said, ‘So I did that and Allah ‘
So ‘azza wa jall took away my worries and settled
my debt for me.’”
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd)
15

52. Points to Ponder
• The importance of making du’ā at the two ends of the day.
• Seek relief from your difficulties from Allah ta’ālā. He is capable of solving
all your problems.
16

53. Advice to Ab Umayyah aḍ-Ḍamrī
Abū
‘Amr ibn Umayyah aḍ-Ḍamr narrated, “I came to the Messenger of Allah
amrī from a
journey and he told me, ‘Wait until lunch time, O Abū Umayyah.’ ‘Indeed, I am
Wait ’
fasting,’ I replied. He then said, ‘
‘Come, draw closer to me so that I can inform you
about the traveller. Indeed, Allah ‘
‘azza wa jall has removed from him [the obligation]
of fasting and [from performing] half of the ṣalāh.’”
(Sunan Nasā’ī)
17

54. Points to Ponder
• The good manners of the Prophet and his gentleness in drawing his
Companions close to him. He was not distant and aloof.
• Allah ta’ālā desires ease for us, not hardship. He has given us certain
concessions and He loves that they be taken, just as He dislikes His
commandments to be disobeyed
disobeyed.
18

55. Advice to ‘Abdur Raḥmān ibn Samurah
‘Abdur Raḥmān ibn Samurah related, “
“The Messenger of Allah told me, ‘O
‘Abdur Raḥmān, do not request leadership, for indeed, should it come to you after you
have sought it, you would be left to it (without any assistance); but should it come to
ould
you without you having sought it, you would then be assisted in it (by Allah And if
Allah).
you swear an oath [to perform a certain deed], but then you see another course of
nother
action which is better than it then do that which is better and expiate for your
it,
[unfulfilled] oath.’”
(Sunan Tirmidhī)
19

56. Points to Ponder
• People nowadays want leadership for all the wrong reasons. In reality it is a
burden, and not something to be desired.
• Oaths should not be taken lightly, and they have to be expiated for if they are
broken.
20

57. Advice to Ḥakīm ibn Ḥizām
Ḥakīm ibn Ḥizām related, “I asked the Messenger of Allah for something, so he
gave it to me. Then I again asked him for something, and he gave it to me. Thereafter
he told me, ‘O Ḥakīm, indeed this wealth is sweet. So whoever takes it without greed
, takes
and without asking for it, will have blessings in it; but whoever takes it while striving
;
for it and desiring it, will not have blessings in it. Instead he would be like one who
.
eats while never becoming sated. And the higher hand is better than the lower hand.
hand.’
I then said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, by the One who sent you with the truth, I shall
never take anything from anyone after you, until I depart from this world.’”
(Sunan Nasā’ī)
21

58. Points to Ponder
• Wealth is a temptation Whoever who succumbs to it and becomes greedy and
temptation.
avaricious will never have enough to satisfy him
icious him.
• The hand which gives is better than the hand which receives.
• The eagerness of the Ṣaḥābah in taking heed of and implementing the
advice of the Prophet .
22

59. Advice to Anjashah
Anas related, “The Prophet
The was once on a journey and there was a young boy
called Anjashah who was urging the camels of the women forward by singing. The
Prophet told him, ‘Take it easy, O Anjashah. You are dealing with glass vessels
Take vessels.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī)
Another version reads:
Anas related, “The Prophet
The had a caravan leader4 called Anjashah who had a
beautiful voice. The Prophet told him, ‘Take it easy, O Anjashah. Don break the
Take Don’t
glass vessels.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī)
4
i.e. someone who urges the camels forward by singing.
23

60. Points to Ponder
• Singing is permissible on occasion.
• Women are fragile: handle them with care.
24

61. “Know that the one who has given you sincere
advice has displayed love for you.”
(Imām al-Ḥārith al-Muḥāsibī)

62. ُ‫اللﱠھُم إِنﱠا نَعُوذ بِك من أَن نُشرك بِك شيئًا نَعلَمه‬
ُ ْ َْ َ َ ِ ْ ْ ْ ِ َ ُ ‫ﱠ‬
ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ ْ ْ َ
‫ونَستَغفِرك لِما ال نَعلَم‬
“Oh Allah!
Indeed, we seek Your protection from knowingly associating anything with You,
and we seek Your forgiveness for what we are unaware of.”
(Musnad Aḥmad)

63. Glossary
aḥādīth – plural of ḥadīth.
.
Allāhu akbar – a phrase meaning, ‘God is the greatest’.
Anṣār – the Helpers. The inhabitants of Mad
Madīnah, who supported the Muslims who
emigrated there.
āyah – a verse of the Qur’
’ān.
‘azza wa jall – a phrase meaning, ‘Mighty and majestic is He’.
dīn – a way of life or religion.
du’ā – supplication.
ḥadīth - a saying of the Prophet .
ḥasan – good. A ḥadīth that can be relied upon to be true but of a slightly lower
category than ṣaḥīḥ.
‘iddah - the waiting period for a divorced or widowed woman, during which she may
he
not re-marry.
jihād - striving in the path of Allah.
Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata ill billāh – a phrase meaning, ‘There is no power and no
illā There
might except by Allah.’
Muhājirūn – the Emigrants. Those Muslims who migrated from Makkah to Madīnah.
Ṣaḥābah – the Companions of the Prophet .
ṣaḥīḥ – authentic. A ḥadīth that can be relied upon to be true.
th
ṣalāh - the prayer which Muslims perform five times daily.
ta’ālā – the Most High.