Hajj - Jihad Without Conflict

A Muslim spends their time, with both their belief and worship, in a continuous and widespread jihad (struggle), thus Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) qualified both the hajj and umrah (greater and lesser pilgrimages) as "jihad without conflict". Reported by Imam Bukhari, Aisha related: "I once asked the Prophet "O messenger of Allah, we (the women folk) consider that jihad is the best deed; why then may w...

Health and Free Time

As reported by Ibn Abbas, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "Health and free time are two great blessings the benefits of which most people are deceived about." (Bukhari, Riqaq,1) This hadith invites us to consciously make use of the "time" that starts with our birth and ends with our death in the best way. It focuses our attention on the two important blessings which we possess and use selfishly, ...

Hadith on Times of Conflict and Civil War

As civil war and terrorism wreak havoc on Muslim countries, some words of the Prophet addressing how Muslims should behave in times of fitna (chaos, civil war, conflict). Most of these hadith are selected from the collection of abu Dawud, a hadith scholar whose books are amongst the sahih-sitta (six books of Prophetic Traditions considered most authentic) and while they immediately addressed the ...

Don't Be Angry; Enter Paradise!

One of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) asked Prophet Muhammad for advice. He asked that the advice be short so that he would be able to remember it. "Don't get angry," said the Prophet. The same Companion repeated his request for some brief advice; each time he received the same answer from the Prophet each time, "Don't get angry!" (Source; Bukhari, A'dab, 76) Anger is a natur...

The Obligations of Seeking Knowledge, Exemplified by Aisha

The first obligation for a woman is to know her religion by studying the Holy Book, al-Quran, reciting and understanding it. She also has to be familiar with the science of Hadith and the life (Sirah) of the Prophet (peace be upon Him), and the other women Companions and those who followed them (Taba`un) and those who were model virtuous women. Sayyidah A`isha (Allah be pleased with her) was exc...

An Essay on the Tradition of Forty Hadith

Through this form of religious education, consisting of forty stages, between Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and people, a person can elevate himself to a certain level of knowledge. Traditions are the true offspring of a civilization or culture through which that civilization can survive. The tradition of forty hadiths (sayings of the Prophet) is one of the precious elements that carries on the nobilit...

The Prophet's Tolerance

Coming from the Arabic root samaha, musamaha (tolerance) means to forgive and to pardon. The word hosgoru is used in Turkish and the word tolerance in English. As a term, it is used for the understanding and gentle behavior towards everyone, without prejudice, of someone who is mature and good-intentioned. Truly this is a high virtue possessed only by people of superior morality. Both too much an...

The Views of Orientalists on the Hadith Literature

A CHRONOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (1848-1950) The question of the value of the hadith literature (sayings of the Prophet) as a legal source is a broad one in which orientalists, not only those working on hadiths, but also those in other areas, including Islamic law, Islamic history and the Quran, are interested. For this reason, the discussion here needs to be limited according to some parameters. Focusin...

Eternal Investment

'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud narrated that God’s Messenger said: "Who among you considers the wealth of his heirs dearer to him than his own wealth?" They replied, "O God’s Messenger! There is none among us but loves his own wealth more." The Prophet said, "So his wealth is whatever he spends (in God's Cause) during his life (on good deeds) while the wealth of his heirs is whatever he leaves after his d...

Is Anger Sweeter than Honey?

The man was filled with rage... While yelling with full force at the person before him, his face became red and his jugular vein became more and more pronounced. While the flames of anger reflected on his face, his insolence reverberated in his voice. When this state of his caught the attention of the Prophet of Mercy, the latter turned to those around him and, with his calm and soothing voice, ...

God and His Messenger Know Best

"The example of guidance and knowledge with which God has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain water and God benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it and for irr...

Freedom From Desires

'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As said: “God's Messenger has said, ‘Unless desires are in keeping with the truth that I have brought (Islam), one cannot be a true believer.’” (1) There is some terminology in the above Prophetic Tradition, which is extraordinary in that it indicates how to overcome the nafs. Hawa (desire, eagerness), when used in a general sense, means an inclination away from God. ...