Book introduction: The Book of Miscellany

Abu Dharr and Mu'adh bin Jabal (May Allah be pleased with them) reported that: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Fear Allah wherever you are, do good deeds after doing bad ones, the former will wipe out the latter, and behave decently towards people".

[At- Tirmidhi, who categorized it as Hadith Hasan].

Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: One day, I was riding behind the Prophet (ﷺ) when he said, "O boy! I will instruct you in some matters. Be watchful of Allah (Commandments of Allah), He will preserve you. Safeguard His Rights, He will be ever with you. If you beg, beg of Him Alone; and if you need assistance, supplicate to Allah Alone for help. And remember that if all the people gather to benefit you, they will not be able to benefit you except that which Allah had foreordained (for you); and if all of them gather to do harm to you, they will not be able to afflict you with anything other than that which Allah had pre-destined against you. The pens had been lifted and the ink had dried up".

[At- Tirmidhi, who categorized it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) said: You indulge in (bad) actions which are more insignificant to you than a hair while we considered them at the time of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to be great destroying sins".

[Al-Bukhari].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Verily, 'Allah, the Exalted, becomes angry, and His Anger is provoked when a person does what Allah has declared unlawful".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said that: He heard the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "There were three men among the Banu Israel, one leper, one bald and one blind. Allah wanted to test them. He therefore, sent to them an angel who came to the leper and asked him what he would like best. He replied: "A good colour, a good skin and to be rid of what makes me loathsome to people". He (the angel) rubbed him and his loathsomeness vanished and he was given a good colour and a good skin. He then asked him what type of property he would like best. The leper replied that he would like camels - [or perhaps he said cattle, for Ishaq (one of the subnarrator of the Hadith) was uncertain, either said: 'Camels,' or: 'Cattle']. He was given a pregnant she-camel. The angel invoked for Allah's Blessing on it. The angel then went to the bald man and asked him what he would like best and he replied: "Good hair and to be rid of what makes me loathsome to people". The angel ran his hand over him and he was given good hair. He then asked him what property he would like best. He replied that he would like cattle, so he was given a pregnant cow. The angel invoked Allah's Blessing on it. The angel then went to the blind man and asked him what he would like best, and he replied: "I wish that Allah restore my sight to me so that I may see people." Thereupon the angel ran his hand over him and Allah restored his sight. The angel then asked what property he would like best. He replied that he would like sheep, so he was given a pregnant ewe. Flocks and herds were produced for the three men, the first having a valley full of camels, the second one, a valley full of cows and the third one full of sheep. Then the angel came in the form of a leper, to the one who had been a leper, and said: "I am a poor man and my resources have been exhausted in my journey, and my only means of reaching my destination are dependent on Allah and then on you, so I ask you by Him Who gave you the good colour, the good skin and the property, for a camel by which I may get to my destination". He replied: "I have many dues to pay." The angel then said: "I think I recognize you. Were you not a leper whom people found loathsome and a poor man to whom Allah gave property?" He replied: "I inherited this property through generations". The angel said: "If you are telling a lie, may Allah return you to your former condition". The angel went in the form of a bald man to the one who had been bald, and said the same as he had said to the former and received a similar reply. So he said: "If you are telling a lie, may Allah return you to your former condition". The angel then went to the one who had been blind and said: "I am a poor traveller and my resources have been exhausted in my journey. My only means of reaching my destination are dependant on Allah and then on you, so I ask you by Him Who restored your eyesight for a sheep by which I may get to the end of my journey". He replied: "Yes, I was blind. Allah restored my eyesight, so take what you wish and leave what you wish. I swear by Allah that I shall not argue with you today to return anything you take, as I give it for Allah's sake". The angel said: "Keep your property. You have all simply been put to a test, and Allah is pleased with you and displeased with both of your companions".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Shaddad bin Aus (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A wise man is the one who calls himself to account (and refrains from doing evil deeds) and does noble deeds to benefit him after death; and the foolish person is the one who subdues himself to his temptations and desires and seeks from Allah the fulfillment of his vain desires".

[At-Tirmidhi, who categorized it as Hadith Hasan].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "It is from the excellence of (a believer's) Islam that he should shun that which is of no concern to him".

[At-Tirmidhi].

'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No man shall be asked for the reason of beating his wife".

[Abu Dawud].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: It was asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Who is the most honourable amongst mankind?" He (ﷺ) said, "The most honourable of them is one who is the most pious of them." They said, "We are not asking about this". He said, "Then, the most honourable of men was Yusuf (Joseph), the Prophet (ﷺ) of Allah, the son of Allah's Prophet, who was the son of the Prophet (ﷺ) of Allah, who was the son of the Khalil of Allah (i.e., Ibrahim (ﷺ))' They said, "We are not asking you about this." He enquired, "Are you then asking me about the classes of the Arabs? The best of them in the Pre- Islamic Period of Ignorance are the best of them in Islam, provided they comprehend the religious knowledge".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The life of the world is sweet and green. Allah makes you generations succeeding one another so that He may try you in respect of your actions. So beware of the beguilements of the world and those of women. The first trial of Banu Israel was through women".

[Muslim].

'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say: "Allahumma inni as'alukal-huda wat- tuqa wal-'afafa wal-ghina (O Allah! I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity and self- sufficiency)".

[Muslim].

'Adi bin Hatim At-Ta'i (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "He who has taken an oath (to do something) but found something else better than that (which brings him closer to Allah), then he should do that which is better in piety (and he should expiate for the breaking of oath)".

[Muslim].

Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during the sermon of the Farewell Pilgrimage saying, "Be mindful of your duty to Allah; perform your five daily Salat, observe Saum during the month (of Ramadan) , pay the Zakat on your properties and obey your leaders; (if you do so) you will enter the Jannah of your Rubb".

[At-Tirmidhi, who categorized it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I was shown the past nations. I saw a Prophet who had a very small group (less than ten in total) with him, another Prophet who was accompanied by only one or two men and some did not have even one. Suddenly I was shown a huge crowd and I thought that they were my Ummah, but I was told: 'This is Musa (Moses) and his people, but look towards the other side.' I looked and beheld a great assemblage. I was told: 'These are your people and amongst them there are seventy thousand who shall enter Jannah without being taken to account or torment". Then the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up and went into his apartment, and the Companions began to guess who may be those people who would enter Jannah without any accounting or torment. Some said: "Probably, they are the ones who kept company with Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)". Others said: "Probably, they are the ones who have been born as Muslims and have never associated anyone with Allah in worship". Then Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out and asked, "What are you discussing?" So they told him. He then said, "They are those who do not make Ruqyah (blowing over themselves after reciting the Qur'an or some prayers and supplications the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say) nor seek it, nor perceive omens (i.e., they are not pessimistic) but keep trust in their Rubb (Allah)." On this 'Ukashah bin Mihsan stood up and asked: "Pray to Allah to make me one of them." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You are one of them." Then another man stood up and asked the same thing. The Prophet (ﷺ) answered, "'Ukashah has surpassed you".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to supplicate: "O Allah! To You I have submitted, and in You do I believe, and in You I put my trust, to You do I turn, and for You I argued. O Allah, I seek refuge with You through Your Power; there is none worthy of worship except You Alone; that You safeguard me against going astray. You are the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists; the One Who never dies, whereas human beings and jinn will all die".

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: When (Prophet) Ibrahim (Abraham) was thrown into the fire, he said: "Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and, He is the Best Disposer of affairs." So did Messenger of Allah Muhammad (ﷺ) when he was told: "A great army of the pagans had gathered against him, so fear them". But this (warning) only increased him and the Muslims in Faith and they said: "Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)".

[Al-Bukhari].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A group of people (both men and women) whose hearts will be like the hearts of birds, will enter Jannah".

[Muslim].

It has been interpreted that such people are those who put their trust in Allah; another interpretation is that these people are tender- hearted.

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I went in an expedition along with the Prophet (ﷺ) in the direction of Najd. When Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned, I also returned with him. Then the mid-day sleep overtook us in a valley full of prickly shrubs. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got down and the people scattered around seeking shade under the trees. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) hang up his sword on the branch of a tree. We were enjoying a sleep when Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) called us, and lo! There was a desert Arab bedouin near him. He (ﷺ) said, "This man brandished my sword over me while I was asleep. I woke up and saw it in his hand unsheathed. He asked: `Who will protect you from me?' I replied: 'Allah' - thrice". He did not punish him and sat down.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In another narration, Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) said: We accompanied Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the campaign of Dhat-ur-Riqa`. We left Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to take rest under a shady tree. One of the polytheists came to him. The sword of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was hanging on a tree. He drew it and said: "Are you afraid of me?'' Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "No". Then he said: "Who will then protect you from me?'' Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "Allah".

And in a narration of Abu Bakr Al-Isma`ili, the polytheist asked: "Who will protect you from me?'' Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "Allah.'' As soon as he said this, the sword fell down from his hand and Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) catching the sword, asked him, "Who will protect you from me.'' He said, "Please forgive me.'' Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "On condition you testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and that I am His Messenger.'' He said, "No, but I promise you that I shall not fight against you, nor shall I be with those who fight with you". The Prophet (ﷺ) let him go. He then went back to his companions and said: "I have come to you from one of the best of mankind".

'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "If you all depend on Allah with due reliance, He would certainly give you provision as He gives it to birds who go forth hungry in the morning and return with full belly at dusk".

[At-Tirmidhi, who categorized it as Hadith Hasan].

Al-Bara' bin 'Azib (May Allah be pleased with them) said: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked me to recite whenever I go to bed: "Allahumma aslamtu nafsi ilaika, wa wajjahtu wajhi ilaika, wa fawwadtu amri ilaika, wal-ja'tu zahri ilaika, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilaika, la malja wa la manja minka illa ilaika. Amantu bikitabikal-ladhi anzalta, wa nabiyyikal-ladhi arsalta (O Allah! I have submitted myself to You, I have turned my face to You, entrusted my affairs to You; and committed my back to You out of desire for You and fear of You; expecting Your reward and fearing Your punishment). There is no refuge and no place of safety from You but with You. I believe in the Book You have revealed and in the Prophet (ﷺ) You have sent." Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that if anyone recited these words and died that night, he would die in the true religion. In case he remains alive till morning, he will obtain good.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In another narration: He reported Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: "If you go to bed, perform the Salat Wudu', lie down on your right side and say [the above Du'a (supplication)] and let these words be your last".