Alhuda Bolton

40 Hadith: Lesson 5

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Sunday 21st Oct 2018

Lesson 5:  Hadith 2 (Parts 3-5)

 

  • We started Hadith 2 in the previous lesson;
      • Also on the authority of `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him. He sat down close by the Prophet (ﷺ) rested his knees against the knees of the Prophet (ﷺ) and placed his palms over his thighs, and said: “O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied: “Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger (ﷺ), that you should perform salah (ritual prayer), pay the zakah, fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Ka`bah at Makkah), if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it).” He said: “You have spoken the truth.” We were astonished at his thus questioning him (ﷺ) and then telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, “Inform me about Iman (faith).” He (the Prophet) answered, “It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in fate (qadar), both in its good and in its evil aspects.” He said, “You have spoken the truth.” Then he (the man) said, “Inform me about Ihsan.” He (the Prophet) answered, “It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet He sees you.” He said, “Inform me about the Hour.” He (the Prophet) said, “About that the one questioned knows no more than the questioner.” So he said, “Then, inform me about its signs.” He said, “They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and that you will see the barefooted ones, the naked, the destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings.” Thereupon the man went off. I waited a while, and then he (the Prophet) said, “O `Umar, do you know who that questioner was?” I replied, “Allah and His Messenger know better.” He said, “That was Jibreel. He came to teach you your religion.” [Muslim]
  • Recap of Lesson 4
      • Part 1: Imam Muslim’s placement of this hadith at the beginning of his Sahih
      • Part 2: The context of this hadith and the innovations the misguided sect Qadariyyah
  • Shaykh Abdelmushin Al-Abbād states 4 points regarding the context of this hadith:
      • 1. The bidah of the Qadariyyah (those who deny the decree of Allah) emerged during the time of the companions
      • 2. The methodology of the taabi’een on returning back to the companions
      • NOTE: who were the taabi’een?
      • 3. The bidah (innovation) of the Qadariyyah is from amongst the most evil, vile and repulsive innovations made, why is this?
      • 4. The mufti, whenever he states a ruling must give evidence

Part 3: Angels can take the form of a human being

  • This hadith states that angel Jibra’eel (Gabriel) came in the form of a man
  • There are other instances in which angel Jibra’eel (Gabriel)

Part 4: In the mannerisms of Jibra’eel (may peace be upon him) we find the etiquettes of an ideal student of knowledge

  • He sat down close by the Prophet (ﷺ) rested his knees against the knees of the Prophet (ﷺ)
  • The student of knowledge should not restrict his questions to that which he does not know, rather one can at times ask questions to which one knows the answer so that others can benefit
    • Jibra’eel asked questions to which he knew the answer, and he did this in order so that others could benefit from the answers, that is why the Prophet (ﷺ) said at the end “ “That was Jibreel. He came to teach you your religion.”
    • One can teach information directly (e.g. as the teacher) or one may teach indirectly by being the reason by which others gain knowledge (as Jibra’eel did in this case)

Part 5: Jibra’eel’s saying “O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam.”

    • Shaykh Abdelmuhsin Al-Abbād discusses this point
    • Point 1:What does islam mean?
      • It means to surrender or submit
      • The Prophet (ﷺ) explained Islam by 5 external actions
    • Point 2: Eemaan means to believe and acknowledge, therefore the Prophet (ﷺ) explained Eemaan with 6 internal and hidden matters
    • Sometimes in the Qur’an or in hadith,Islam is mentioned without Eemaan being mentioned, and in that context Islam can be taken to mean both external and internal actions. However when both are mentioned then they are being used specifically for internal (Eemaan) or external (Islam) matters.
    • Therefore when mentioned separately they have individual meanings, but when Islam alone is mentioned it refers to the whole religion, both internal and external parts
  • The Shahaadah (the two testimonies of faith) is the first pillar of Islam which the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned
      • This is to testify and bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except for Allah and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is his Messenger
      • Both parts are inseparable
      • It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed: “By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me, but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent and dies in this state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire.”[Sahih Muslim]
    • The true meaning of “Laa ilaaha illallaah” (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah”
      • It does not simply mean “there is no god but Allah”
      • The polytheists at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) understood its true meaning which is why they fought against him
  • This statement consists of 2 pillars:
        • Negation: you start the testimony with a negation that nothing has a right to be worshipped
        • Affirmation: The second part of this statement affirms that only Allah exclusively  has this right to be worshipped
  • Testifying that Muhammad (ﷺ) is the messenger of Allah consists of 5 matters:
  • 1. None of the creation should be loved more than the Prophet (ﷺ) and this is an obligation upon all Muslims. Learning about him and being acquainted with his life is the only way to achieve this
  • 2. He is to be obeyed in what he commanded
  • 3. That you should abstain from what he has forbidden
  • 4. To believe in the unseen things which he has conveyed to us (e.g. Paradise, Hell etc)
  • 5. That we should only worship Allah as per his teachings
  • Any action of worship which you perform  should be sincerely for the sake of Allah alone and should be done in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ)