Encyclopedia of Prophetic Hadiths

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) related to us, and he is the truthful and the trusted one; he said: "The creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother's womb for forty days and forty nights. Then, he becomes a clinging clot for a similar period, then a lump (of flesh) for a similar period. Then, there is sent to him the angel who is commanded to write down four things: his sustenance, lifespan, actions, and whether miserable or happy. Then, he breathes life into him. One of you would do the actions of the people of Paradise until there is an arm's length between him and Paradise, but the predestination overtakes him, causing him to do actions of the people of Hellfire, and he enters it; and one of you would do the actions of the people of Hellfire until he is an arm's length away from Hellfire, but the predestination overtakes him, causing him to do deeds of the people of Paradise, and he enters it."

A man from the people of Najd, with disheveled hair, came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). We could hear his loud voice but could not understand what he was saying until he came close to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when it became clear that he was asking about Islam. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Five prayers every day and night." He said: Do I have to perform any besides these? He said: "No, unless you do so voluntarily. And fasting the month of Ramadan." He said: Do I have to fast any beyond this? He said: "No, unless you do so voluntarily." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned Zakah to him. He said: Do I have to pay any besides this? He said: "No, unless you do so voluntarily." He said: The man, then, turned away while saying: By Allah, I shall neither add to this nor omit from it. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He will succeed if he proves to be truthful."

'Whoever swears by other than Allah has disbelieved or associated partners with Allah.'"

A group of polytheists, who went to excess in killing and committing illegal sexual intercourse, came to Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "What you say and invite people to is indeed good. If only you could tell us whether there is an expiation for what we did. Thereupon, it was revealed: {and those who do not invoke besides Allah, another god, and who do not kill a soul whom Allah has forbidden, except in the course of justice, and who do not commit adultery} [Surat al-Furqān: 68]. And the following verse was revealed: {Say [Allah says]: "O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah's mercy."} [Surat az-Zumar: 53]

"Whoever acquires a branch of the knowledge of astrology acquires a branch of magic, of which he acquires more as long as he continues to do so."

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) led us in the Fajr prayer at Al-Hudaybiyah after rainfall during the night. At the conclusion of the prayer, he turned toward the people and said: "Do you know what your Lord has said?" They replied: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "He has said: 'Some of My servants have entered the morning as believers in Me and some as disbelievers. He who says, 'We have had rainfall by the grace and mercy of Allah' believes in Me and disbelieves in the stars, and he who says, 'We have had rainfall by the rising of such and such star' disbelieves in Me and believes in the stars.'"

A man said: "O Messenger of Allah, will we be punished for what we did during jāhiliyyah (the pre-Islamic period of ignorance)?" He said: "He who does good in Islam will not be punished for what he did during jāhiliyyah, and he who commits evil in Islam will be punished for the previous and later deeds."

"The thing that I fear most for you is minor Shirk (polytheism).' They said: 'What is minor Shirk, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'It is Riyā’ (showing off). Allah Almighty will say on the Day of Judgment when He will requite all people for their deeds: "Go to those before whom you used to show off with your deeds in the worldly life and see whether you find any reward with them?"