‘desires shall be such that one of them will wake up in the morning fasting, and a desire out of his many desires shall come before him, and he will leave his fasting. —Shaddad, b. Aus, AHs BA. - “Seek refuge in God against the Ditch of Sorrows,’ 190 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD said the Prophet. ‘And what is the Ditch of Sorrows,’ they asked. ‘It is a vale in hell from which hell itself seeks refuge to God an hundred times a day.’ ‘And who shall enter therein?’ “The reciters of the Qur'an who make a show of their works,’ was the Prophet’s reply. —Abu-Hurayrah, TI.
The Prophet mentioned something (of strife and bloodshed), and said, “That will be at the time when know- ledge will depart (from you).’ I said, ‘O Prophet of God! and how will knowledge depart (from us), when we read it, and our children will make their children read it, till the day of resurrection?’ ‘The Prophet said, ‘Alas for thee! I considered thee to be the most intelligent man in Madinah. Do not these Jews and Christians read the Torah and the Evangel, and act not at all what is in them both?’ Ziyad b. Labid, IB: TI: AH; Abu-Umamah, DA. L ASpo al The first of those who shall be called to account, on the day of resurrection, shall be he who has got the whole of the Qur‘an by heart, and he who has been killed in the way of God, and he who has an abundance of wealth. Then shall God say to him who has got the whole of the Qur‘an by heart, ‘Did I not teach thee what I revealed to My Prophet?’ He shall say, ‘Yes, my Lord!’ God shall say, ‘And what hast thou done in regard to what thou didst learn therein.’ He shall say, ‘I was constantly at it in the hours of night and in the hours of day.’ God shall SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 19] say to him, “Thou liest; and the angels also shall say, “Thou liest;’ thou didst only desire that men should say that such an-one was a reciter of the Qur‘an: and that has been said already.’
And the master of wealth shall be brought before God; and God shall say, ‘Did I not give thee an abundance of wealth, so that thou wast not in want of any one?’ He shall say, ‘Yea, my Lord!’ God shall say, ‘And what hast thou done with what I gave thee?’ He shall say, ‘I regarded the rights of kinship, and gave alms.’ God shail say to him, “Thou liest;’ and the angels also shall say to him, ‘Nay, but thou didst desire that men should say that such an one was a generous man; and that has been said already.’
Then shall he who has been killed in the way of God be brought before Him, and God shall say to him, ‘What was it that thou wast killed for?’ He shall say, “Thou didst bid us do Jihad* in Thy way, and I fought, and was killed.’ God shall say to him, “Thou liest;’ and the angels also shall say, “Thou liest.’ And God shall say to him, ‘Nay, but thou didst desire that men should say that such an one was a valiant man; and that has been said already.’
These are the three men who, of all creatures, shall be first sent into hell.
—Shaqiy al-Asbahiy, MU: NA: TI.
The most enviable of my friends, in my sight, is ces- tainly a Mu‘min unencumbered; a man who takes pleasure in prayer, and best performs the service of his Lord, and obeys Him in secret, and who is obscure among men, who 192 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD is not pointed to with fingers, and who has a sufficiency of provision, and is patient at it, and whose death is hastened, for whom few women cry, and few his legacies. —Abu-Umamah, TI: IB: AH.
Verily, God loves (His) servant, the pious, the independent, the unassuming. —Sa‘d, MU.
ee ee | Verily, God loves the good, the pious, the anassuming, who when they are absent are not inquired of, and if they are present are not called, nor drawn near; their hearts are lamps for guidance, they emerge out of all dark dust.
—‘Umar b. alKhattab, IB: BA.
iengen Fear I asked the Prophet concerning goodness and sin. He said, “Goodness is good manners, and sin is what smites within thy breast, and what thou art averse to disclose to > No soul sins against another, —Tha‘labah b. Zahdam, NA. ‘He sins not against thee, nor dost thou sin against him,’ said the Prophet to a father and son. —Abu-Rimthah, AB: NA. Men are not destroyed unless they are covered with guilt and disgrace from themselves. aes —Abul-Bakhtariy, AB.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 193 i: ser | O ‘A‘ishah! beware of the least of sins, for verily there will be a demand for it from God. —A‘ishah, IB: BA. Verily, when a servant (of God) commits a fault, a (dark) spot is laid in his heart, and when he tears himself off and asks pardon and turns repentant, his heart is brushed clean; but if he return (to it), it goes on increas- ing, so that it overpowers his heart, and that is the rust (of the heart). —Abu-Hurayrah, TT. ‘The grievous sins are the joining (of others with God) disobedience to parents, the killing of breathing beings, and swearing to a lie. —Abdu'llah b. ‘Amru, BU: MU.
Leeny <i A man said, ‘O Prophet of God! which is the greatest sin in the sight of God?’ He said, ‘(It is) that thou call upon (others) as equals to God although He has created thee.’ He said, ‘And what are the other (sins)? ‘The Prophet said, “That thou kill thy child for fear lest he should eat with thee, and that thou commit adultery with the married woman of thy neighbour.’
—Ibni Mas‘ud, BU: MU.
[are] No man in a nation commits sin, when having the power to undo it, they do not, but God falls upon them with vengeance from Himself are yet they die. —Jarir b. ‘Abdu‘llah, AB: IB.
13 194 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD ft Se ] (All) claims shall be fully repaid to their parties on the day of resurrection; so-much-so that ome shall be charged to avenge a hornless goat upon a horned goat.
—Abu-Hurayrah, MU. Pate greet ‘When the children of Israel fell into sin their learned men forbade them, but they desisted not; then they sat in their meetings, and ate and drank with them; then God struck (their) hearts, one of them upon another, and cursed them through the tongue of David and Jesus, son of Mary; that was for that they rebelled and were trans- gressors.” All this while the Prophet was reclining, and now he sat up, and said, ‘No; by Him in whose hand stands my life! bid what is just and forbid what is wrong, and seize the hands of the wrongdoer, and incline him to the truth, and confine him to the truth, or God will strike (your) hearts, one of them upon another, and then will He curse you like as He cursed them.’
—Ibni Mas‘ud, TI: AB. reins!
When the Prophet was passing by al-Hijr, he said, _ ‘Enter not the dwellings of those who wronged themselves, without (also) weeping, lest there fall upon you what be- fell them;’ then the Prophet covered his head, and hastened out of the spot.
—Ibni ‘Umar, BU: MU.
*Another tradition adds: ‘and the bearing of false witness.” (Anas, BU: MU.).
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 195 There are three records (of the deeds of men: a record which God pardons not, namely, the associating of any with God; a record which God will not leave (unpun- ished), namely, the wrongs of (His) servants in respect of one another, until one avenges himself upon another; and a record which God regards not, namely, the wrongs of (His) servants in their relation to God—this rests with God: if He please He may punish them and if He please He may pass them over. —A‘ishah, BA, He who has given cause to complaint to his brother against -himself in regard to his good fame or anything (else), let him be absolved there from to-day, before (the day) when they shall have no dinars* and no dirhams: if he shall have any good work, it shall be taken away from him according to the measure of his complaint, and if he has no good work, the evil works of his companion shall be taken from him, and he shall be made to bear them.
—Abu-Hurayrah, BU. ier | God pardons the sin of all who do not associate any- thing with Him, except his between whom and his brother there is a deep-rooted hatred; of these will He say, “Leave these two until they get reconciled.’ —Abu-Hurayrah, MU: AB: TI MA.
feae7B J Have ye considered what is a poor man? Verily, the poor man among my people is he who shall come on the 196 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD day of resurrection with prayers and fastings and almsgiv- ings, and also having reviled this (man) or falsely accused that (man), and having devoured the substance of this (man), and having shed the blood of that (man), and having beaten this (man); for, this (man) will be given (a part) of his good works, and that (man) a part of his good works; so that if his good works fail ere yet what lies against him is decided, (a part) of their faults shall be taken, and imposed upon him, and then shall he be thrown into the fire (of hell).
I heard the Prophet say. ‘Bad the servant (of God) who fancies and cheats himself and forgets the Great, the Most High (God)! Bad the servant (of God) who is haughty and commits iniquity, and forgets the Dominant, the Most High (God); bad the servant who neglects (his duty), and is wanton, and forgets the grave and (its) calamities; bad the servant who is haughty and insolent, and forgets the beginning and the end; bad the servant of God who deceives the world by religion; bad the servant who deceives religion by ambiguities; and’ bad the servant whose covetousness makes him obsequious; bad the servant whom (his) lust leads astray; bad the servant whom (his) greed disgraces.
—Abu-Hurayrah, MU.
—Abu-Hurayrah, MU.
—Asma‘, daughter of ‘Umays, TI: BA. A tale-bearer shall not enter into paradise. —Hudhayiah, BU: MU A faithful believer is not a slanderer, or a shameless, SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 197 impudent talker. —Ibni Mas‘ud, TI. Presses} The best of God’s servants are those who, when seen, remind of God, and the worst of God’s servants are those who walk about with slander, dividing friends, and seeking to put good men into trouble.
—Abru’r-Rahman b. Ghanm, and Asma‘, daughter of Yazid, AHs BA.
Let none of you call out to his slave, saying, ‘My slave boy!’ or ‘My slave girl!’ nor let a slave call out to his master, saying, ‘My lord!’ but let the master call out to the slave, saying, ‘My young man!’ or ‘My young girl!’ and let the slave call out to the master as ‘My chief!’ for, verily, ye are all slaves, and your Lord is God Almighty.
—Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: AB.
Whoso frees a Muslim man (from captivity), he shall be a ransom for him from hell.
—Amru b. ‘Abasah, BG. The best of sadaqah* is the intercession by which a neck is freed (from captivity). —Samurah b. Jundab, BA.
Sa‘d b. Ubadah came to the Prophet, and said, ‘Verily my mother is dead; would it benefit her (soul) if I set a 198 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD fe887e4 ‘Which slave it is more meritorious to emancipate?’ asked a disciple. “Ihe slave who carries the highest value, and whom his people like,’ was the Prophet’s reply.
—A‘ishah, MA. Any When a man possesses a nearer relation by blood (as his slave), this man becomes free. —Hasan al-Basriy,, from Samurah, TI: AB: IB. When the slave-girl of a man gives birth to a child by that man, she becomes free after his death.
—Ibni ‘Abbas, DA.
‘Aliy separated a mother from her child,’ but the Prophet forbade that, and cancelled the sale.
—Aliy, AB.
Whoso separates a mother from her child, God will divide between him and those dear to him on the day oi resurrection. ' —Abu-Ayyub, TI.
The Prophet of God granted me two youths who were brothers to each other; afterwards I sold one of them. ‘Then the Prophet of God said, ‘What hast thou done with thy young man?’ I told him what I had done with him. Whereupon the Prophet said, “Take him back, take him back.’ —Aliy, TI.
1 By selling them to two different parties.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 199 pres9sae] He who buys a slave, and does not include (with him) his substance, he has nothing to do with it. —Abdu'llah b. ‘Umar, DA. Whoso shall accuse a slave, while he is clear of what he attributes to him, shall be scourged on the day or re- SI —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: TI AB. [eB oo re] We had a female slave, and one of us beat her with the hand. The story reaching the Prophet, he commandsurrection.
ed us, saying, ‘Emancipate her.’ —Mu‘awiyah b. Suwayd b. Muqrin, MU: AB: TTI.
I said, “O Prophet of God! I have a salve-girl who tends my sheep near Mount Uhad and Jawaniyyah; and I went one day to see the sheep, and behold! an wolf had taken away a sheep from the herd; and being a man of the children of Man, I was very sorry like as they are sorry, and I (also) beat her violently.’ The Prophet deemed it a great sin of me, so that I said, ‘O Prophet of God! should I not free her?? The Prophet said, ‘Yes; but bring her to me.’ And when I had brought her to him, he said to her, ‘Where is God?’ She said, ‘In the Heaven.’ ‘And who am I?’ ‘Thou art the apostle of God.’ The Prophet said, ‘Free her for verily she is a Mu‘min* (also).’
—Mu‘awiyah b. al-Hakam, MU. I was scourging my slave with a scourge, when I 200 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD heard a loud noise calling from behind me, “Take care, O Abu Mas‘ud!’ but I did not recognize the voice because of the rage I was in; but when it came near me, lo! it was the Prophet. He said, “Take care, O Abu-Mas‘ud!’ take care, O Abu-Mas‘ud!’ whereupon I threw the scourge out of my hand. The Prophet said, ‘O Abu-Mas‘ud! know that God has more power over thee (to punish thee) than what thou hast over this young man.’ I said, ‘I will never again strike a slave after this, and I am going to set him free.’ The Prophet said, ‘If thou do it not, thou wilt surely enter the fire (of hell).’ —Abu-Mas‘ud al-Badriy, BU: MU: AB: TT. [Rees pe Whoever kills his slave, we will kill him; and who- ever mutilates his slave, we will mutilate him; and who- ever castrates his slave, We will castrate him (also).
—Samurah, AB: NA: IB.
Whoso holds fast to my example during the corrup- tion of my people, he shall have the reward of an hundred martyrs.
—Abu-Hurayrah, BA.
A time will come over men when the steadfast among them in his religion shall be like him who holds a live coal in (his) hands.
—Anas, TI. The Prophet was told that a certain man had killed SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 201 himself: whereupon he said he would not offer his. funeral prayer. —Jabir b. Samurah, AB peeg02 4 Whoso shall throw himself from (the top of) a mountain and kill himself, shall be in the fire of hell, for ever and evermore; and whoso shall take poison and kill himself, shall be in the fire of hell, for ever and ever- more; and whoso shall kill himself with iron, shall be in the fire of hell, for ever and evermore.
—Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: AB: TI: NA. bape Lecand I were indeed reckless if I drank panacea, or hang about me an amulet, or spoke words as my soul prompted me.
Beware of suspicion! for, verily, nothing is more false than suspicion; and be not inquisitive, nor overhear anything, nor dispute anything with another, nor envy one another, nor hate one another, nor leave one another in the lurch; and be ye all servants of God and brothers to one another, like as God has commanded you.
—Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: AB: TI: MA.
Verily God has granted to all who have rights their respective rights: no testament is (lawful) in favour of an heir. —Amru b. Kharijah, AB: NA: IB.
202 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD God says: “The son of Man aggrieves Me when he abuses Time, whereas I am Time: in My hand is all affair —I change the night and the day.’
—Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: AB: MA. S590 Feu When the son of Man enters on the morning of a day, verily his whole body stretches out (as it were) its hands to beg of the tongue, saying, “Fear God Almighty in respect of ourselves, for verily we are with thee: ii thou goest straight on, we shall also go straight, and if thou goest crooked, we shall also go crooked.’
—al-Khudriy, TI. Le G0S so I said, ‘O Prophet of God! tell me of a thing which I may hold fast.’ ‘Say thou,’ said the Prophet, “My Lord is God Almighty; and then keep straight on.’ I said, “O Prophet of God! and what is it that thou dost fear for me?’ The Prophet pointed to the tongue, and said, “This.’
—Sufyan b. ‘Abdu‘llah, Ti. ade beige (Many a time) the servant of God speaks a word which pleases God, for which he was not solicitous, but for which God exalts him in paradise, and verily (many a time) does the servant of God speak a word which angers God, for which he was not solicitous, but for which God throws him into the fire (of hell) seventy autumns down. —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: TI: MA.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 203 All speech of the son of Man is a crime against him, except the bidding of what is reasonable, and the forbid- ding of what is wrong, or the remembrance of God.
—Ummi Habibah, TI. feo D lle] God hates the man who talks glibly, who moves about his tongue as the cow. —Ibni ‘Amru b. al-As, TI.
Whoso learns to turn about words, that thus he may captivate the hearts of men, God will not accept from him (his) repentance or atonement, on the day of resurrection. — Abu-Hurayrah, AB.
Lyons: | Perish those who make a show of intelligence and skill in speaking. —Ibni Mas‘ud, MU: AB. [ote] Verily, many a speech is enchantment; and_ verily, many a poetry is sound sense.
—Ibni ‘Abbas, AB; cf. Ubayy b. Ka‘b, BU: AB; Ibni ‘Umar, BU: AB: TI: MA.
le ake) The truest word that a poet has uttered is that of Labid, namely, ‘Aye! everything which is beside God is vanity.’ —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: TI.
The dignity of a man _ owing to silence is better 204 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD than sixty years of worship. —TImran b. Husayn,, BA. ee Vie Whoso believes in God and the last day, let him speak good, or keep silent. —Abu-Hurayrah, TI. PASsuid He who is silent is saved. —Ibni ‘Amru, TI: AH: DA: BA. eee Te He who restrains his tongue, God will hide his weak- ness; and he who suppresses his anger, God will avert from him His torment on the day of resurrection, —Anas, BA.
Peele Speak not much, for, verily, speaking much without the mention of God is hard-heartedness, and verily the man farthest removed from God is the hard-hearted.
—Ibni ‘Umar, TI.
Paes wey A man died; whereupon another said, ‘Receive the glad tidings of paradise.’ The Prophet heard this, and said, ‘And what shall make thee know (for certain)? It may be this man has spoken something which did not con- cern him, or has acted miserly in respect of what did not make him independent, (so as to forfeit paradise).” —Anas, TI.
[ eae I am the third of two partners so long as one of them does not play the other false; but when he plays him false, SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 205 I depart from among them, and satan comes in. —Abu-Hurayrah, AB: RA, Pee OAs When, on the day of resurrection, God will gather the former and the latter generations, a standard will be hoisted near every treacherous man, who shall be known by it; and it shall be said, “This is such and such a trea- cherous man!’
—Ibni ‘Abbas, BU: MU: TI: AB. pies | There were three men of the children of Israel: a deper, a bald-headed man, and a blind man. God desired to try them; so He sent to them an angel. He came to the leper, and ‘said, ‘What thing dost thou like best?’ He said, ‘A good complexion and a good skin, and that the thing which men look upon as unclean (in me go away from me.’ The angel then passed his hands (over him), and his uncleanliness passed away from him, and he was given a good complexion and a good skin. ‘Then the angel asked, ‘And what substance dost thou like best?’ The man said, ‘Camels.’ Whereupon he was given she- camels ten months gone with young. Then the angel said, ‘God bless thee therein!’ and went away.
The angel then came to the bald-headed man, and said, ‘What thing dost thou like best?’ He said, ‘A beauti- ful hair, and that the thing which men look upon as un- clean (in me) go away from me.’ Then the angel passed his hands (over him), and his uncleanliness passed away, and he was given a beautiful hair. The angel also asked, 206 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD ‘And what substance dost thou like best?’ He said, ‘Cows.’ Whereupon he was given cows big with young. Then the angel said, ‘God bless thee therein!’ and went away.
The angel then came to the blind man, and said, ‘What thing dost thou like best?’ He said, “That God re? store my eye-sight to me, and I may see my people.’ Then the angel passed his hands (over him), and God restored his eye-sight to him. ‘The angel (also) asked, ‘And what substance dost thou like best?’ he said, ‘Sheep.’ Where- upon he was given sheep that multiplied exceedingly, and brought forth young, so that each of the three men had a valley full of their own herds. 3 Sometime afterwards the angel returned to the leper, and said, ‘I am a poor man who have lost everything on my journey, and I cannot reach my destination but by God’s grace; and I beg of thee, by Him who has given thee the beautiful complexion and the beautiful skin, and the substance, a camel by which I may reach my destination.’ The man said, “There are many claims (which I have to satisfy, and I cannot possibly attend to you).’ The angel said, ‘Methinks I know thee: wast thou not a leper whom people looked upon as unclean, and wast thou not a poor man, and has not God given thee everything?’ The man said, ‘I have only inherited this substance from my fore- fathers.. Whereupon the angel said, ‘If thou art a liar, God will bring thee back to what thou hast been (former- ly). Then the angel came to the bald-headed man, and said as he had said to the former, and received the same reply; whereupon the angel said, ‘If thou art a liar, God SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 207 will bring thee back to what thou hast been (formerly).’ Then he came to the blind man, and said, ‘I am a poor man, a wayfarer, who have lost everything on my journey, and I cannot reach my destination out by God’s grace; and I beg of thee, by Him who has restored to thee thy eye-sight, a sheep, that I may reach my destination.’ The man said, ‘I was before this a blind man, and God restored to me my eye-sight; so take away what thou pleasest, and’ leave (for me) what thou pleasest; for, by God! I will not to-day demand of thee anything which thou dost take for the sake of God.” The angel said, ‘Keep thy substance to thyself, for I was only trying you (all), and God is pleased with thee and angered against thy companions.’ —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU. Restore the trusts to those who trust thee, and deal not falsely with him who deals falsely with thee. —Abu-Hurayrah, AB: TI. Peed, al Verily, the treasurer who is a Muslim and fulfils (his) trust, and who gives what he is bidden (to give) wholly and completely, and with a god conscience, is one of the two charitable men (who shall be rewarded for it). —Abu-Musa, BU: MU: AB NA. [i Fare] ‘When trusts are wasted, then wait thou for the judg- ment (of God to descend upon the earth).’ It was asked, ‘And how shall trusts be wasted?” The Prophet said, ‘When aflairs are committed to those who are not worthy (of them).’ —Abi-Hurayrah, BU.
208 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD fie 2Bcch} Verily, truth is goodness, and goodness leads to para- dise; and verily lying is wickedness, and wickedness leads to the fire (of hell). Ibni Mas‘ud, MU, [ies ae Take care about truth and sincerity! for verily truth and sincerity guide to what is good, and goodness leads to paradise; and man continues to be truthful and sincere, and strives after the truth, so that he is written down be- fore God as a truthful man; and beware of falsehood: for verily falsehood leads to wickedness, and wickedness leads to the fire (of hell); and man continues to be un- truthful, and strives after the untruth, so that he is writ- ten down before God a liar. —Ibni Mas‘ud, BU: MU: AB: TI: MA. Whoso shall be sincere to God forty days, streams of wisdom will appear from his heart upon his tongue. —Ibni ‘Abbas, RA. i Sake 4 Avoid all things doubtful for those that are not doubt- ful; verily truth brings quiet, and falsehood doubt. —Abu'lJ-auza TI: NA. [y doef Cursed is he who does the deed of the people of Loti —Abu-Hurayrah, RA. Pisas Cursed is he who comes in unto a woman from her back part. —Abu-Hurayrah, AB.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 209 Ft 984 yy] God will not look upon the man who comes in unto a man or woman from his or her back parts. —Ibni ‘Abbas, TI. The Prophet cursed the taker of usury and the giver of it, and the writer of it, and the witness to it, and said they were all equal. —Jabir, MU. hits | Shall I tell you of the worst among you? He it is who eats alone, and scourges (his) slave, and refuses help (to the needy). —Abu-Hurayrah, RA.
POST] The worst of people are those who put wicked questions, so that they may thereby deceive the learned. —Abu-Huraryrah, RA.
: f Soe.} There is none more jealous than God; for that reason has He forbidden all filthy actions, both open and secret. —Ibni Mas‘ud, BU: MU: TI.
a a There are three men whose adversary I will be on the day of resurrection: the man who swears by me and then ‘deceives; a man who sells a freeman, and devours his price; and a man who hires a workman, and gets his services, and then does not fully pay his wages. —Abu-Hurayrah, BU.
Whoso intervenes with his intercession against an 14 210 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD ordinance out the (many) ordinances of God stands in opposition to God; and whoso disputes with falsehood while he knows it, will not cease to draw upon himself the indignation of God, until he withdraws himself therefrom; and whoso speaks of a thing in a Mu‘min* which is not in him, God will make him dwell amidst the pus of those in hell, until he withdraws himself from what he said; and whoso assists in a quarrel wrongfuly, returns with wrath from God the Most High. —Yahyah; Abu-Rashid, AB.
Pee | Verily, God has disallowed you the disobedience of mothers, and the burying of female children alive, and has forbidden (you) covetousness, and has made talkativeness. and much questioning and the wasting of substance hateful to you. —Mughirah, BU: MU.
There are three men who will not enter into paradise: he who is refractory to his parents, a habitual drunkard, and one who reproaches with what he gives.
—Ibni ‘Umar, NA.
There are three men to whom God will not speak on, the day of resurrection, nor will He look upon them, nor, will He purify them; and for them there will be a painful torment: an old adulterer, a lying king, a proud fellow. —Abu-Hurayrah, MU: NA. The deceitful shall not enter paradise, nor the miserly, SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 21] nor those who reproach (men) for the benefits conferred upon them. —Abu-Bakr, TI. fer S45s(5 | Whoso dies while he is clear of three things, namely, pride, embezzlement, and debt—shall enter paradise.
—Thauban, TI.
Fear to do wrong, for verily wrongdoing will be (a cause of) darknesses on the day of resurrection; and fear avarice, for verily avarice destroyed those who were before you, carrying them on to shed blood among themselves, and to make their unlawful things lawful.
—Jabin, MU.
The servant (of God) who will be of the worst of men in respect of place on the day of resurrection, is he who lets go his hereafter for the world of another.
—Abu-Umamah, IB.
Verily, the worst of men in (the sight of) God, in respect of position on the day of resurrection, will be he whom people abandon for fear of his filthy actions.
—A‘ishah, BU: MU; AB: TI: MA.
He who lives in the desert is insolent, and he who pursues a game is negligent, and he who comes to the gates of a monarch will be in trouble, and no servant (of God) draws nearer to a monarch but is farther from God. —Ibni ‘Abbas, AB: NA. IB.
212 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD Verily God hates three things in you: wrangling, wasting one’s wealth, and frequent, useless questioning. —al-Mughirah, BU: MU: AB. [ceSbl ac} Avoid ye the seven destructive things: the joining (of others) with God; the killing of breathing beings which God has forbidden unless by right; the devouring of usury: the devouring the wealth of the orphan; the turning (one’s) back on the day of battle; and the calumniating of chaste women who are believing (but) careless (in their be- haviour).
—Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU. ia | Moderation in expenses is half livelihood, and the love of men is half wisdom, and good questioning is half know- ledge. 5 —Ibni ‘Umar, BA. SR Ba There are two traits which are never found together in a hypocrite: good conduct and the understanding of re- ligion.
—Abu-Hurayrah, TI.
Serve the Merciful (God), and give food (to the needy), and extend greetings, ye shall enter paradise in peace. —Ibni ‘Umar, TI: IB.
Shall I tell you of him who will be shut out from the SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 213 fire (of hell)? Every quiet, good-natured fellowman, —Ibni Mas‘ud, TI.
There are four things which when they are in thee, thou hast nothing (to fear) even if the World pass away from thee: the safeguarding of trusts; speaking the truth; good manners; and abstemiousness in diet. —Ibni ‘Amru, AH: BA.
Pego1G, | The Prophet was asked as to what would mostly make men enter into the fire (of hell). “The mouth and the private parts ( of men),’ said the Prophet. Being asked as to what would mostly make men enter paradise, the Prophet said, “The fear of God, and a good character.’ —Abu-Hurayrah, TI.
Whoso shall give me a pledge for (the right use of) what is between his two jaws and what is between his two feet, I shall guarantee paradise for him. —Sahl b. Sa‘d, BU: TI.
Give me to understand six things out of yourselves, and I guarantee you paradise; namely, be truthful when ye say, and fulfil when ye promise, and restore when ye are trusted with ( a thing), and guard yourselves from im- modesty, and lower your eyes to the ground, and withhold your hands (from what is wrong). —Ubadah b. a’s-Samit, BA. Four are of the characteristics of the apostles; modesty, 214 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD perfuming oneself, marriage, and brushing the teeth.
—Abu-Ayyub, TI.
Right proceeding, steadiness, and moderation are parts out of the four and twenty parts of a prophet’s character. —Abdu'llah b. Sarjas, TI; cf. Ibni ‘Abbas, AB.
[eaeOer Following the middle way, steadiness, and good man- ners, are parts out of the five and twenty parts of a prophet’s character. —Ibni ‘Abbas, AB: MA.
I said, ‘O Prophet of God! enjoin upon me (a rule of conduct).’ ‘The Prophet said, ‘I enjoin upon thee the fear of God; for verily it will best adorn all thy affairs.’ I said, “Tell me something more.’ He said, “The reading of the Qur’an and the remembering of God, for that will be (a cause) of thy mention in the heaven, and a light for thee in the earth.’ I said, “Tell me something more.’ He said, ‘Upon thee is enjoined a long silence, for verily that would drive away Satan and be helpful to thee in the affairs of thy religion.’ I said, “Tell me something more.’ He said, ‘Take care that thou do not laugh much, for verily that deadens the heart, and goes off with the light of thy countenance.’ I said, “Tell me something more.’ He said, ‘Speak the truth although it be bitter.’ I said, “Tell me something more.’ He said, ‘Fear not, concerning God, the obloquy of the detractor.’ I said, “Tell me some- thing more.’ He said, ‘Conceal thou in men what thou knowest in thyself.’ —Abu-Dharr, BA.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 215 fue.964 J Blessed is he whose heart God has made pure for faith, and has made his heart perfect, and his tongue truthful, and has kept his soul at rest, and his character upright, and has made his ears hearing, and his eyes seeing; then as to (his) ears, they act (as) funnels, and as to the eyes, they are (as) receptacles for what the heart gathers and pre- serves,; and blessed indeed is he who makes his heart grasping. —Abu-Dhar, AH: BA.
Whoso believes in God and in the last day, let him honour his guest; and whoso believes in God and in the last day, let him be good to his neighbours; and whoso be- lieves in God and in the last day, let him speak what is good or keep silent. —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU.AB, My Lord has bidden me do nine things: the fear of ‘God in secret and in public; a just word amidst anger and pleasure, and a (middle) way in poverty and affluence; and that I perform my relative duties to him who cuts off all ties with me, and give to him who denies me, and forgive him who wrongs me, and that my silence be for reflection, and my speaking be for a remembrance (ol God), and my eye (sight) be to take example, and that I bid justice.
—Abu-Hurayrah, IB: RA. One day the Prophet said to his companions, ‘Who 216 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD will take (to heart) these sayings, and act accordingly, or teach him who will act accordingly?’ I said, ‘I will do it, O Prophet of God!’ Then he caught me by the hand, and counted five (sayings). He said, ‘Fear (to do) all forbidden things, and thou shalt become the best servant (of God) among men; and be pleased with what God has apportioned to thee, and thou shalt become the most in- dependent of men; and be good to thy neighbour, and thow shalt become a Mu‘min*; and love for men what thou lovest for thyself, and thou shalt become a Muslim*; and laugh not much, for verily much laugh deadens the heart.’
—Abu-Hurayrah, TI.
Three men have a right to the help of God: the doer of Jihad* in the service of God, the slave who desires to pay for his manumission, and the man who marries (a woman) desiring to live chastely with her.
7 —Abu-Hurayrah, TI: NA.
O ‘Abdu’l-Qays! in thy character there are two traits.
which God and His apostle love, namely, mildness and deliberation. —Ibni ‘Abbas, AB: TI.
Wealth decreases not by almsgiving, and God only in- creases His servant in might by forgiveness; and no servant (of God) shows humility for the sake of God, but God also exalts him. —Abu-Hurayrah, MU: TI: MA.
: ’ SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 217 fn? Livy}. He who has a good character! shall have a house built for him in the highest apartment of paradise. —Abu-Umamah, TI. [ teal All proceedings of a meeting are a trust except three: the shedding of forbidden blood, or sexual connexion which is forbidden, or seizing another’s substance without right.
—Jabir, AB. rol at The intelligent man is he who contemplates his self, and acts for what is after death; and he is the weak man who makes his soul follow his lust, and desires from God what he fancies. —Shaddad b. Aus, TI: IB.
lehaiiss I Three (things) lead to salvation, and three (things) to destruction. ‘Those that lead to salvation are: the fear of God in secret and in public; speaking the truth in plea- sure and anger; and taking the mean in affluence and poverty. And those that lead to destruction are: the lust which is followed; avarice which is obeyed; and the wonder- ing of a man at his own self—the last being the most grievous of all. —Abu-Hurayrah, BA.
ES Shall I tell you about the best among you and the worst among you? The best among you is he from whom good is expected and from whose evil (men) are secure; and the worst of you is he from whom good is not ex- + Or, disposition.
218 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD