Muslims' Character

TRUE

MUSLIM’S

CHARACTER

Saying of the Prophet

(may Allah bless him and grant him peace)

Muhammad ‘Abd al-Mannan

Introduction

‘Shaytan will do everything to distract you from reading this book, however, you should fight him and read it to the end, Insha-Allah you will benefit from this!’

All praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, Who has disposed all matters through His arrangements thereof, Who has fairly composed His creation and given it excellent form, good structure and proportion.

And may blessings and salutation be invoked upon Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) the bondsman of Allah, His Prophet, loved one and chosen one, who was His bearer of good tidings and His Warner, from the lines of whose brow the radiance of Prophethood shone forth. Auspicious prayers be on Ahl-e-Bait and on all his just and devoted Companions. I seek refuge in Allah (The Exalted) from the Shaytan. Allah’s name I begin, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

These wise sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) collected here are designed to be touched and inspired by words that we are moved to renew and remark ourselves as better nobler, and more merciful human beings. The impact of words have had on humanity throughout history resoundingly declares we can.

Listening is the key. Many of us in the West have never listened to the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) himself. We may have heard many things said about him, but we have not actually listened to his own words.

These sayings offer us the opportunity to do just that. They allow us the opportunity to enter into an internal dialogue with his words and though them to begin to know a man whom Muslims, and even through them to begin to know a man whom Muslims, and even some Western historians, believe to be most significant human being who ever lived. They also offer us an opportunity to be introduced personally to someone whom many of our human family admire as a source of mercy, compassion, wisdom, justice, and love. All we have to do is listen.

The Prophet’s words are as vital and relevant today as they were 1, 4000 years ago when they were first spoken. Whether you are a Muslim, a practitioner of another faith, or even someone who has no religious belief, these sayings have much to teach us. Sayings such as “A kind word is charity” and “Love for humanity what you love for yourself,” speak to us regardless of our personal creed; they speak to our shared essential nature.

The hadiths are also a way to know our selves better. They function as mirrors – by looking into them, we may come to see ourselves more clearly. We may come to see our humanity, the best and worst of ourselves. And through this seeing, this reflection, we may be moved to change ourselves to be more conformed to principled behaviour.

Each saying is also a way to know more intimately the man who first uttered them. They can provide an opening into the one who, for Muslims, is the picture of perfect character; the Prophet says, “I was only sent to perfect noble character.” These sayings are more than just words; they are verbal expressions of his personal conduct.

The sayings collected here are ultimately meant as an introduction to that “marvellous and gifted Teacher” whom the Qur’an describes as “a mercy to all the worlds.” Read each one slowly, contemplatively, letting it reveal its wisdom to you. As the Prophet reminded us, “Consideration is from Allah, and haste is from Shaytan.” Find one that speaks to you, and listen to it. Let it filter through you, and then example of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), try to put into practice in your life. And then return to them now and again as continual sources of guidance and wisdom. 3 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

1. Cleanliness

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Islam is clean, so cleanse yourselves, for only the cleansed shall enter paradise.” (At-Tabarani)

2. Hypocrite

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The characteristics of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he gives his word, he breaks it; and when he is given a trust, he is unfaithful.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

3. Consideration

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Consideration is from Allah, and haste is from the devil.” (Al Bayhaqi)

4. Keeping Allah in mind

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Keep Allah in mind wherever you are; follow a wrong with a right that offsets it; and treat people considerately.” (At-Tirmidhi)

5. Severer of kin and an intolerable neighbour

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Among those not graced with Allah’s glance on the day of judgment are a severer of kin and an unbearable neighbour.” (Ad-Daylami)

6. Love for others

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Love for humanity what you love for yourself.” (Al-Bukhari)

7. Cooling food

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allow your food to cool a bit, for hot food lacks blessing.” (Ad-Daylami)

8. Delighting Muslims

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “After obligatory rites, the action most beloved to Allah is delighting other Muslims.” (At-Tabarani)

9. Mentioning Faults

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Should you become eager to mention another’s faults, recall your own.” (Ar-Raf’i)

10. Pondering the consequences

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Should you wish to act, ponder well the consequences. If good, carry on; if not, desist.” (Ibn al-Mubarak)

11. Burping or sneezing

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Should any of you burp or sneeze, let him stifle the sound.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

12. Charity, Knowledge and righteous children

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “When a person dies, his deeds die with him, except for three: charitable donation, beneficial knowledge, and righteous children who supplicate on his behalf.” (Muslim)

13. Using the right hand

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “When any of you takes a meal, let him eat, receive, and share with the right hand.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

14. Conversing privately

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Two should never converse privately excluding a third until others join them. The reason being is that it would disappointment him.” (Ibn Majah) 4 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

15. Yawning

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Should one of you yawn, let him place his hand over his mouth and avid a yawner’s howl. Even Shaytan ridicules the howling yawner.” (Ibn Majah)

16. Sign of a believer

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “If your good deeds delight you and your foul deeds distress you, you are a believer.” (Ad-Diyya’)

17. Paying a visit to a public figure

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “If a people’s public figure (important person) pays a visit, honour him.” (Ibn Majah)

18. Manners of Sneezing

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Should one of you sneeze, say, ‘Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen’ ‘Praise be to Allah, lord of the worlds.’ To that, his brother should respond, ‘Yarhamuk-Allah’ ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ If he says that, then the first should add, ‘Yahdeekumullah’ ‘May Allah always guide you and keep aright your heart.’” (Abu Dawud)

19. Permission to enter

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “If one of you requests permission to enter a place and, after three requests, permission is yet not granted. He should leave.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

20. Respect of the deceased

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “If you happen to see a (Muslim’s) funeral procession, stand for it until it passes or the dead is laid to rest.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

21. Love of Allah and people

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Abandon desire for this world, and Allah will love you. Abandon desire for others’ goods and people will love you.” (Ibn Majah)

22. Importance of Knowledge

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Pursue knowledge even to china, for its pursuance is the sacred duty of every Muslim.” (Ibn ‘Abdal-Barr)

23. Using good judgment

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Since the successful are always envied, use good judgment in fulfilling your needs.” (At-Tabarani)

24. Relationships

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The most virtuous behaviour is to engage those who break relations, to those who withhold from you, and to forgive those who wrong you.” (At-Tabarani)

25. Preaching Knowledge

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The best charity a Muslim practices is acquiring some knowledge and teaching it to his brother.” (Ibn Majah)

26. Visiting the sick

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The most rewarding visitation of the sick is the one that is appropriately brief.” (Ad-Daylami)

27. Devotion to Allah

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “True spiritual excellence is devotion to Allah as if you see him; and though you do not see him, you at least know that he sees you.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

28. Dreadful sins

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The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The worst of dreadful sins are idolatry, murder, abuse of one’s parents, and false testimony.” (Al-Bukhari)

29. Entering Paradise

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “What enables people to enter paradise more than anything is piety and good character. (At-Tirmidhi)

30. Controlling the tongue

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The majority of man’s sins originate from his tongue.” (At-Tabarani)

31. Honouring the Scholars

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Honour scholars, as they are the inheritors of the Prophets. Anything who honours them has honoured Allah and his Messenger.” (Al-Khatib)

32. Memorising the Qur’an

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Any heart lacking even a portion of the Qur’an is like a ruined house.” (At-Tirmidhi)

33. Purifying the heart

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah dose not regard your externals or your riches but rather your hearts and your deeds.” (Muslim)

34. Beauty

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah is beautiful and loves beauty.” (Muslim)

35. Sincerity

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The servants Allah loves most are those most sincere with Allah’s servants.” (Imam Ahmed)

36. Double reward in Charity

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Charity given to one’s relatives twice multiplies its reward.” (At-Tabarani)

37. Suspicion

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Beware of suspicion, for it is the most deceitful of thought.” (At-Bukhari and Muslim)

38. Selfishness

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Avoid selfishness, for it is instant poverty.” (At-Tabarani)

39. Performing a task

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah loves a servant who when performing a task dose so skilfully.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

40. Modesty

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Modesty is part of faith and fosters only goodness.” (Muslim)

41. Blessing in meals

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The blessing of food is in washing before and after the meal.” (Imam Ahmad)

42. Useful Knowledge

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “To acquire some useful knowledge is of greater merit than to perform a hundred devotional prayers voluntarily.” (Ibn Majah) 6 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

43. Increasing Love

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Exchange gifts, and mutual love arises; shake hands, and enmity will fall away.” (Ibn Asakir)

44. Humility

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Practice humility until none oppresses or belittles another.” (Muslim)

45. Cure in illness

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Seek out remedies for your illnesses, O servants of Allah, for Allah has not crated a disease without creating a corresponding cure.” (Imam Ahmad)

46. Love for your Brother

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Three practices will keep sincere your brother’s love for you: greeting him when you see him; making room for him in gatherings; and calling him by the most endearing of his name.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

47. Discarded from Paradise

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Three types of people will not enter paradise: an addict, an abuser of kinship ties, and a believer in magic.” (Imam Ahmad)

48. Respecting your mother

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Paradise lies beneath the feet of mothers.” (Imam Ahmad)

49. Kind and cruel

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Hearts naturally love those who are kind to them and dislike those who are cruel.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

50. Brother’s rights

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “An older brother’s right over his younger siblings is similar to a father’s right over his children.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

51. Rights of a Muslim

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Every Muslim has five rights over every other Muslim: the right to a reply, should he greet him; an acceptance, should he invite him; a visit, should he fall ill; a prayer, should he sneeze; a presence at his funeral, should he die.” (Ibn Majah)

52. Miserliness and Immorality

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Two qualities are never coupled in a believer: miserliness and immorality.” (Al-Bukhari)

53. Doubt

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Set aside what causes you doubt for what dose not.” (At-Tirmidhi)

54. Good Deeds

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “He who directs others to a good deed is as the one who did it; and, assuredly, Allah loves the act of aiding the distressed.” (Ibn Abi ad-Dunya)

55. Speaking well

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “May Allah have mercy on a servant who spoke well and gained good, or kept silent and avoided harm.” (Ibn al-Mubarak) 7 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

56. Having Mercy

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Those who show mercy have Allah’s mercy shown to them. Have mercy on those here on earth, and the one there in heaven will have mercy on you.” (Imam Ahmad)

57. Poverty

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Illicit sex begets poverty.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

58. Sin and disbelief

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Cursing a Muslim is sinful, and murdering him is disbelief.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

59. Manners of eating

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Say grace; eat with your right hand; and eat what is close at hand.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

60. Prayer

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Prayer is the central pillar of religion; prayer is the key to every good.” (Al-Hakim)

61. Praying in Congregation

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Prayer in congregation surpasses individual prayer by twenty-seven degrees.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

62. Fasting

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Fast, and flourish.” (Abu Nu‘aym)

63. Benefit of a Scholar

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “One beneficial scholar is better then a thousand worshipful devotees.” (Ad-Daylami)

64. Gratification

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Consider well gratification, for it is a treasure without end.” (At-Tabarani)

65. Good Words

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A kind word is charity.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

66. Women and graves

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah curses women who frequent graves as well as those who take them as prayer sites or settees.” (At-Tirmidhi)

67. Interest

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah curses the one who takes, pays witnesses, or notarises usurious (Interest) transaction.” (Abu Dawud)

68. Imitation

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah curses a man who dresses like woman who dresses like a man.” (Al-Hakim)

69. Respect of neighbours

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A believer is not one who eats his fill while his next door neighbour goes hungry.” (Al-Bukhari)

70. Respect of a Muslim

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever fails to care for our youth, respect our aged, enjoin right, and denounce wrong is not counted among us.” (Imam Ahmad) 8 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

71. Respecting the elderly

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A young man never honours an old man due to age but that Allah sends someone to honour him when he reaches that age.” (At-Tirmidhi)

72. Magnification and humiliation

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah has never magnified anyone due to his ignorance, nor humiliated anyone due to his knowledge. And wealth is never diminished as a result of charity.” (Ad-Daylami)

73. Wisdom

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A Muslim never gives a fellow Muslim a better gift than wisdom through which Allah increases him in guidance or turns him away from harmful behaviour.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

74. Assisting

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “If a Muslim consoles his brother during some crisis, Allah will adorn him in garments of grace on the day of judgment.” (Ibn Majah)

75. Seeing a Psychic

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The prayers of one who seeks guidance from a psychic will not be accepted for forty days.” (Muslim)

76. Innovating evil

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whosoever adds to this matter of ours what is alien to it will have it rejected.” (Al-Bukhari)

77. Slandering

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever attempts to fault a man by mentioning something untrue about him will be detained in hell by Allah until he produces the proof for his remarks.” (At-Tabarani)

78. Veiling faults

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Veiling the faults of the faithful is akin to restoring life to the dead.” (At-Tabarani)

79. Assisting a tyrant

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “On the day of judgment, Allah will humiliate and forsake anyone who betrays a believer to a tyrant.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

80. Fraud

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever defrauds us is not one of us; deception and cunning are hellish.” (Abu Dawud and At-Tabarani)

81. Controlling Anger

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah veils the faults of anyone who suppresses his anger.” (Ibn Abi ad-Dunya)

82. Supporting a Tyrant

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever walks with a tyrant in support of him, while aware of his tyranny, has abandoned Islam.” (At-Tabarani)

83. Shame

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever has no shame before others has no shame before Allah.” (At-Tabarani)

84. True Muslim

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The Muslim is one from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) 9 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

85. All are equal

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Muslims are a fraternity; therefore, there is no superiority of one over another, except in ethics.” (At-Tabarani)

86. Continue to do good

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “If a man’s actions slow him down, his good name will not speed him up.” (Muslim)

87. Good company

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A person’s spiritual practice is only as good as that of his close friends; so consider well whom you befriend.” (At-Tirmidhi)

88. Being pleased with others affliction

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Never express joy at your fellow man’s afflictions, for Allah just might free him of them and afflict you.” (At-Tabarani)

89. Trust

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever cannot be trusted has no faith, and whoever breaches contracts has no religion.” (Imam Ahmad)

90. No good deed is little

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Do not belittle any act of kindness, even that of greeting your brother with a cheerful countenance.” (Muslim)

91. Manners of Sitting

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A man should never sit between two persons unless granted their permission.” (Abu Dawud)

92. Respecting the funeral

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Do not follow a funeral procession shouting or with displays of fire.” (Abu Dawud)

93. Honest Labour

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah loves to see his servant exhausted after an honest day’s work.” (Ad-Daylami)

94. Speak good

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Recall the good qualities of your dead, and refrain from mentioning their shortcomings.” (At-Tirmidhi)

95. Mother of all Evils

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Do not drink liquor, for it is the key to every evil.” (Ibn Majah)

96. Never strike

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Never strike your maids over broken dishes, for dishes, like people, have pre-determined life spans.” (Abu Nu‘aym)

97. Arguing and teasing

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Neither argue with nor tease your brother, and never give your word to him and then break it.” (At-Tirmidhi)

98. Frightening a Muslim

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “It is prohibited for a Muslim to frighten another Muslim.” (Abu- Dawud) 10 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

99. Allah’s Protection

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah’s protective hand is with the congregation.” (At-Tirmidhi)

100. Best in Character

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The most complete in faith are those best in character and kindest to their families.” (At-Tirmidhi)

101. Assisting the servant

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Anytime you lighten the load of your servant, a reward is allotted to your scales on the day of judgment.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

102. Speaking the truth

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Speak the truth even though it be bitter.” (Ibn Hibban)

103. Manners of Sneezing

Whenever the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would sneeze, he would place his hand or a handkerchief over his mouth to stifle the sound. (Al-Hakim)

104. Gentleness

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Gentleness never accompanies anything without enhancing it, nor is it ever removed from anything without demeaning it.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

105. Fear Of Allah

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Never do in private what you would conceal from others in public.” (Ibn Majah)

106. Best Food

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “No one has eaten better food than he who eats from the labour of his own hands.” (Al-Bukhari)

107. The Best Gift

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A parent can give a child no greater gift than beautiful manners.” (Al-Hakim)

108. Sodomy

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Cursed is the sodomite for his sodomy.” (Imam Ahmad)

109. Separating a child from mother

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Cursed is anyone who separates child from mother.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

110. Minding one’s business

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Beautiful Islam entails minding one’s own business.” (At-Tirmidhi)

111. Reward of Seeking knowledge

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever decides to relocate solely to study sacred knowledge is forgiven before even setting out.” (At-Tirmidhi)

112. Repaying a favour

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever does you a favour, repay him; and if you are unable to, then at least pray for him.” (At-Tabarani)

113. Entitled to Paradise

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever eats pure food, acts with prophetic scruples, and secures others from his own misfortunes shall enter paradise.” (At-Tirmidhi) 11 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

114. Practise what you preach

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A person who teaches goodness to others while neglecting his own soul is like an oil lamp, which illumines others while burning itself out.” (At-Tabarani)

115. Pleased with sins

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “He who sins laughing enters hell crying.” (Abu Nu‘aym)

116. The Wasteful and Tyrant

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah enriches the cautious and deprives the wastrel; Allah elevates the humble and whoever tyrannizes others Allah will crush him.” (Al-Bazar)

117. Pleasing One’s Parents

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever pleases his parents has pleased Allah, and whoever angers them has angered Allah.” (Ibn an-Najjar)

118. Defending a believer

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Anyone who sees a believer degraded, and, being able to defend him, dose not, is degraded by Allah on the day of judgment.” (Imam Ahmad)

119. Listening attentively

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “One aspect of manliness is for a fellow to listen attentively to his brother should he address him.” (Al-Khatib)

120. Spying

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever spies on a group’s private conversation knowing they would dislike him doing so shall have lead poured into his ears on the day of judgment.” (Al-Bukhari)

121. Reminding one of their fault

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever faults his brother for some wrong shall not die before doing it himself.” (At-Tirmidhi)

122. Betrayer

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever counsels his brother to take a certain course, while knowing that a better course lies elsewhere, has in essence betrayed him.” (Abu Dawud)

123. Arguing

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever used sophistical arguments knowingly continues to be the object of Allah’s wrath until he desists.” (Abu Dawud)

124. Drugs and Fornication

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Allah removes faith from one who engages in illicit sex or consumes intoxicants just as a man removes his shirt when pulling it over his head.” (Al-Hakim)

125. Visiting a Soothsayer

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever visits a fortune-teller or a mystic and believes what he is told has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).” (Imam Ahmad)

126. Praying for good

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used very often to pray in the following manner, “O Allah! I ask you for good health, for trust, for self-control, for good manners, and to be satisfied with the divine decree.” (Bayhaqi) 12 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

127. Being Abusive

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “It is not proper for a believer to be (verbally) abusive.” (Tirmidhi)

128. Yelling at public places

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Verily, Allah does not love those who yell at the top of their voices in public places.” (Adab al-Mufrad)

129. True Believer

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A believer is not a fault-finder and is not abusive, obscene, or foul-mouthed.” (Ahmad, ibn Hibban, and Hakim)

130. Two Face

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “No two-faced person should ever be trusted.” (Tirmidhi and Ahmad)

131. Obscenity

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The most blame-worthy trait of a believer is obscenity.” (Adab al-Mufrad and ibn Hibban)

132. Cursing Another

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Do not curse one another with the curse of Allah, with his wrath, or with hell.” (Tirmidhi and Abu dawud)

133. Carrying Tales

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “No one who carries tales about others will go to paradise.” (Muslim)

134. Lying

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Lies are of no use in either seriousness or jest. Also, it is not right for someone to promise some-thing to his/her child/children and then fail to fulfil that promise.” (Adab al-Mufrad)

135. Quarrelling

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Do not quarrel with your brother, do not make fun of him, and do not promise to meet him and then fail to do so.” (Tirmidhi)

136. Spreading hatred or Envy

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Do not spread hatred or envy among yourselves and do not conspire. Rather, O slaves of Allah, be brothers. No Muslim may dissociate himself from his brother for more than three nights.” (Bukhari)

137. Believer and Wrongdoer

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A believer is frank and decent, whereas a wrongdoer is deceitful and blameworthy.” (Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud)

138. Calling someone a Disbeliever

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “If anyone calls his brother a disbeliever, one of the two is a disbeliever.” (Muslim)

139. Pleasing Allah

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Three things please Allah and three things displease him. He is pleased that you worship him and that you do not associate others with him, that all of you hold fast to his rope, and that you advise those over whom he has given authority. He is displeased with your conjecturing, with your asking an inordinate amount of questions, and with your wasting money.” (Ibn Khuzaymah, Abu Awanah, Ibn Hibban, and Malik) 13 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

140. Kindness and Goodness

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever is deprived of kindness, is deprived of all goodness.” (Muslim)

141. Ungratefulness

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Ungratefulness is evil.” (Imam Ahmad in his Musnad)

142. Do as you please

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Among the well-known wisdom of the Prophets is the saying, ‘If you have no shame, then do as you please.’” (Bukhari)

143. Acceptance of Prayers

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Your prayers will be answered as long as you are not impatient. Therefore, do not say, ‘I prayed, but my prayers were not answered.’’ (Adab al-Mufrad)

144. Raising girls

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever raises two girls until they grow up will find himself/herself as close to me in paradise as these two,” and the narrator gestured with his first and index fingers. (Muslim)

145. Two Faced

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Among the most evil of people, are the two-faced; those who approach this group with one face and that group with another.” (Bukhari)

146. Shyness

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Shyness comes from faith, and faith will be in paradise. But ribaldry comes from harshness, and harshness will be in the fire.” (Ibn Majah, Hakim, Tahawi and ibn Hibban)

147. Controlling Anger

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A tough person is not one who can fight. A tough person is one who can control himself when he is angry.” (Bukhari)

148. Remaining Silent

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Teach, and make things easier. If you become angry, remain silent. If you become angry, remain silent.” (Ahmad )

149. Good Deed

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Every good deed is charity (Sadaqah).” (Imam Ahmad)

150. Mirror of Faith

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A believer is his brother’s mirror. A believer is a brother to a believer, for he looks after his affairs and protects him from behind.” (Abu Dawud)

151. Good Manners

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Nothing is weightier on the scale of deeds than one’s good manners.” (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)

152. Pure Soul

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Being wealthy does not mean having many possessions. Rather, being wealthy means possessing a wealthy soul.” (Muslim) 14 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

153. Greed and Bad Manners

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Two qualities will never be joined in a believer: greed and bad manners.” (Tirmidhi)

154. Nights in prayer

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “If one has good manners, one may attain the same level of merit as those who spend their nights in prayer.” (Hakim and Abu Dawud)

155. Controlling Desires

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whosoever sees a woman and he fancies her then go to your wife as she has the same as what she has.” (Darmi)

156. Controlling the gaze

Ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I ask the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) about the unintentional glance, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) advised “Turn your gaze away”. (Muslim)

157. Unintentional glance

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “After one glance do not look again (meaning when the gaze falls on a woman unintentionally look away and do not look the second time) the first look is permissible and the second is not permissible”. (Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Darmi and Tirmidhi)

158. Shame of Allah

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Take care of your body (Satr-e-Aurat) except from your wife and your slave girl, I asked O Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) what if a male is on his own? The Prophet replied, “It is better if one has shame of Allah”. (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah)

159. Being alone with a women

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “When one is alone with a woman then the third is Shaytan.” (Tirmidhi)

160. Standing on either side of the door

When the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) went to someone’s door, he would not stand in front of the door, but would stand on the right or left side and would say ‘Assalamu ‘Alaikum, Assalamu ‘Alaikum and the reason for this is in those days there was no doors. (Abu Dawud)

161. Gaining permission

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “No one has a right to go to someone’s house and without permission look inside, and if one has looked inside then he has entered. (Tirmidhi)

162. Greeting

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “When you enter your homes say Salaam to those in the house and when leaving the home also make salaam.” (Hissan Haseen)

163. Singing

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Singing sprouts hypocrisy in the heart the same way crops grow with water.” (Baihaqi)

164. Listening to evil

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) forbade from singing and listening to songs and backbiting and listening to backbiting and slandering and listening to slander.” (Tabarani)

165. Playing Chess

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoso played chess, it is as if he put his hand in the flesh and blood of a swine”. In another narration it states he has disobeyed Allah and his Messenger. (Muslim) 15 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

166. Lying

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “When one lies, with the stench of the breath the angels flea a mile.” (Tirmidhi)

167. Jealousy

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Jealousy cuts good deeds the same way fire burns wood and the goodness rids evil like water rids fire.” (Ibn Majah)

168. Living like brothers

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Do not have jealousy between each other neither talk bad of each other, servants of Allah, live like brothers.” (Bukhari)

169. Taking revenge in this world

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The worse person on the Day of Judgement will be he who took revenge in this world and spoiled his hereafter. (Ibn Majah)

170. Think of your neighbour

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whenever you prepare a broth, put plenty of water in it, and give some to your neighbours and give them out of this with courtesy.” (Muslim)

171. Shelter of Allah

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will say: `Where are those who have mutual love for the sake of My Glory? Today I shall shelter them in My Shade when there will be no shade except Mine.” (Muslim)

172. Stopping Evil

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is unable to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest form of Faith.” (Muslim)

173. Proud Person

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Shall I not inform you about the inmates of Hell? It is every violent, insolent and proud person.’” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

174. Remembering Death

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever wants to visit a graveyard, let him do so, because it reminds us of the Hereafter.’” (Muslim)

175. Visiting Parents

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoso visits both or either one of his parents on Fridays then he will be forgiven and will be written as a rewarded person”. (Baihaqi from Shu’bul Iman)

176. True Faith

Some companions were in the company of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and asked, “We get such thoughts in our hearts that to tell people about them we feel it’s a major sin.” The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “This is faith (Iman).” (Mishkat) 16 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

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