The Blessed Hadith Shareef
Senior essay
By: Amina Noormohamed
Muslims follow the Holy Quran and the Hadith Shareef of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu
alaihi wa Sallam. The Quran is holy scripture, Word of Allah. Hadith is what
Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam said. Sunnah is what Prophet
Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam said, did, and approved of. When we
read Hadith we learn about his sunnah. We want to learn about his Hadith because
we want to follow what he did and what he approved of, in detail. Hadith is mentioned
in the Quran and it is referred to as Hikmah (Wisdom) in the following
verse:
"For Allah has sent down to you the Book and the Wisdom and taught
you what you knew not (before): and great is the Grace of Allah upon you."
(4:113)
Hadith is next in importance to the Quran, because Allah tells us in the Quran
to obey Him and the beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam
as in the following verses:
"You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful example (of
conduct) for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the final Day and remembers Allah
much." (33:21)
"Say: If you do love Allah, then follow me: Allah will love you and forgive
you your sins, and Allah is Forgiving Merciful."(3:31)
"O people! The Messenger has come to you with the truth from your
Lord. Therefore believe, (it is) better for you. And if you disbelieve, still,
lo! to Allah belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth. And Allah is
ever Knower, Wise." (4:170)
"O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those of
you who are in authority, then if you have a dispute concerning any matter, refer
it to Allah and the Messenger if you are (in truth) believers in Allah and the
Last Day. That is better and very good in the end." (4:59)
"Whoso obeys the Messenger, indeed obeys Allah and whoso turns away:
we have not sent you as a warder over them." (4:80)
"O you who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger, and turn not away
from him when you hear ( him speak)." (8:20)
"O you who believe! Be not unfaithful to Allah and the Messenger,
nor knowingly betray your trusts." (8:27)
"O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and render not
your deeds useless." (47:33)
"And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it. And whatsoever he forbids,
abstain (from it). And fear Allah. Lo! Allah is severe in retributing (evil) (59:7)
"The (true) believers are only those who believe in Allah and His
Messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives
in the way of Allah. They are the truthful." (49:15)
"And whoever does not believe in Allah and his Messenger, We have
surely prepared a blazing fire for the disbelievers." (48:13)
"And it becomes not a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah
and his Messenger have decided an affair (for them), that they should (after that)
claim any choice in their affair, and whoso disobeys Allah and his Messenger,
he surely goes astray in error manifest." (33:36)
For this reason the Quran is the first source of Muslim law and Hadith is
the second source of Muslim law.
Whatever Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam said, did or approved
of was narrated by his family members and companions as Hadith. The man who narrated
the most number of Hadith of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam
was Hadrat Abu Huraira Rady Allahu Anhu, and the lady who narrated the
most Hadith of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam was Sayyidatina
Aisha Rady Allahu Anha.
There are six major books of Hadith. These books are: Sahih al-Bukhari
by Imam al-Bukhari (194 A.H.-256 A.H.) containing 7275 Hadith, Sahih Muslim
by Imam Muslim (206 A.H.-261 A.H.) containing 4000 Hadith, Jami by Imam
Tirmizi (209 A.H-279 A.H.) containing 1600 Hadith, Sunan by Imam Abu Dawud
(202 A.H.-275 A.H.) containing 4800 Hadith, Sunan by Imam Ibnu Maja (passed
away 283 A.H.), and finally Sunan by Imam An-Nasaai (215 A.H.-303 A.H.).
Each Hadith is classified in a specific manner, for example: Sahih (sound),
Hasan (good, approved), Da'if (weak), Mutawatir (with a continuous
chain of narrators), Mash-hur (well-known, handed down by at least three
different reliable authorities), Muttafaqun Alaih (agreed upon by both
Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim), Gareeb (rare, unfamiliar), and Ma'ruf
(well-known). A Hadith is classified as sound if it has a solid chain of narrators
as is classified as weak if it has a weak chain of narrators.
Some of the things that you learn from Hadith are that the Kalimah Shahadah
is the key to Paradise, how to say our salah, what is zakah and how much to give
in zakah, the importance of fasting in the month of Ramadan, and how to perform
Hajj. We also learn about Arkanal Iman or the pillars of faith, and how to be
good Muslims by practicing Ihsan (goodness). We learn about the things that are
prohibited in Islam such as stealing, cheating, lying, back-biting, fraud, alcohol
and pork. The other thing that we learn from Hadith is what to do or recite on
specific occasions for example: when giving in charity, say Fisabilillah;
when getting married, say Amantubillah; when parting from someone, say
Fiamanillah; when participating in prayer, say Ameen; and when a
death message is received say Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Rajiun
.If we were to know the totality of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa
Sallam's teachings on any subject (for example charity), we need to study
all the Hadith on that subject. Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam
said, "Say your five prescribed prayers, keep Ramadan fasts, give Zakat of
your property, and believe in one God." The above topics will now be discussed
with a few Hadiths from Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam to
demonstrate the importance of each subject in a Muslim's life. Unfortunately,
all the Hadith are not provided, due to the nature of this short essay.
For one thing, Salah is one of the most important aspects of being a Muslim, where
one prays to Allah for forgiveness. The significance of Salah is seen in the following
Hadith of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam. For example, Prophet
Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam used to pray Salah for so long in
the night in standing posture that his feet got swollen up. Hadrat Mughira Rady
Allahu Anhu asked him, "O Prophet of Allah! Why do you exert so much
when Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has forgiven all your sins?" Prophet
Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam replied, "Should I not be a grateful
servant of Allah?"
Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam also said Salah was the
best deed in the sight of Allah, followed by being good to your parents and to
do Jihad in the way of Allah. (al-Bukhari, Muslim). Sayyidatina Aisha Rady Allahu
Anha said that Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam offered
witr prayers on different nights at various hours extending (from the Isha prayers)
up to the last hours of the night. (al-Bukhari) This shows us the importance of Salah,
from the above examples of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam.
Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam believed that the month
of Ramadan was the most blessed month of the year, and this can be seen in the
following Hadith.
Hadrat Salman Rady Allahu Anhu reports that Prophet Muhammad said,
"This is indeed the month of patience, and the reward for patience is paradise.
It is the month of sympathy with one's fellow men. It is the month wherein a true
believer's sustenance is increased." (al-Bukhari)
Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam believed that you should
not fast until you have seen the moon and do not leave the fasts until you see
it, and if there are clouds, complete 30 days. (Malik) He also said that whoever
forgets while he is fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast because
Allah has fed him and has given him drink. (al-Bukhari) Fasting is one of the pillars
of Islam, and in order to practice Islam one needs to fast. The above Hadiths
show us what fasting does for a person, and how important it is.
Zakat is also described in many of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam's
Hadith.
Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam said, "Allah Subhanahu
wa Ta'ala loves the pious rich man who (in spite of his piety and wealth) is obscure
and unknown to fame." (Muslim)
Abu Huraira Rady Allahu Anhu reported that Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu
alaihi wa Sallam said, "The generous man is near Allah, near paradise,
near men, and far from hell, but the miserly man is far from Allah, far from paradise,
far from men, and near hell. Indeed, an ignorant man who is generous is dearer
to Allah than is a worshipper who is miserly. (Tirmidhi)
Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam always gave away everything
in charity, for example his mule on which he used to ride and a plot of land.
(Tirmidhi) These narrations of the Prophet's sayings and life, demonstrate the
gravity of Zakat and Sadaqah in a Muslim's life.
Finally, Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam believed that
Allah is dearer to him than everything on which the sun rises. (Muslim) Prophet
Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam used to say, "Glory to be to
Allah; Praise be to Allah; there is no one worthy of worship but Allah; and Allah
in most Great, is dearer to me than everything on which the sun rises." (Muslim)
Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam said if anyone says this 100
times a day, his sins will be removed from him. (Muslim) Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu
alaihi wa Sallam taught us that there is no might and no power other than
Allah.
Hadith is a very important aspect of being a Muslim because it develops love
for Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and for Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa
Sallam. Following the sayings of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa
Sallam makes you follow the right path.
References:
IQRA-THE ISLAMIC JOURNAL. No 9. Iqra Publications, Nairobi, August 1986.
HADYU MUHAMMAD (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Salaam). Iqra Publications, Nairobi,
1986.
SAYINGS OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD, (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Salaam), Iqra Publications,
Nairobi, 1988
Competition # 2:
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