The Prophetic Tradition
The term “Hadith” linguistically refers to speech, standing in contrast to “al-Qadeem” (the ancient). In a technical sense, it denotes any saying, action, approval, or characteristic—whether ethical or physical—attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Within the field of Hadith studies, various terms are commonly utilized, including: al-Athar, Al-Khabar, Al-Sunnah, Al-Sanad, Al-Matn, and others.
Noble Hadiths
Hadiths on the Virtue of Remembrance
Numerous narrations in the Prophetic tradition elucidate the significance of remembering Allah and encourage such practice. Here are some of these Hadiths:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “There are two words that are light on the tongue, heavy in the balance, and beloved by the Merciful: ‘SubhanAllah wa bihamdi’ and ‘SubhanAllah al-Azeem’.”
- He also stated: “Shall I not inform you of the most beloved words to Allah? I replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, please tell me.’ He said: The most beloved words to Allah are: ‘SubhanAllah wa bihamdi’.”
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned: “For me to say: ‘SubhanAllah’, ‘Alhamdulillah’, ‘La ilaha illallah’, and ‘Allah Akbar’ is more beloved than what the sun rises upon.”
- He said: “Whoever glorifies Allah thirty-three times, praises Him thirty-three times, and declares His greatness thirty-three times after every prayer, that totals ninety-nine. To complete a hundred, he should say: ‘La ilaha illallah wahtahu la sharika la. Lahul mulk wa lahul hamd, wa hu ala kulli shay’in qadeer’. His sins will be forgiven, even if they are like the foam of the sea.”
- In another Hadith, he stated: “Whoever says ‘La ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika la. Lahul mulk wa lahul hamd, wa hu ala kulli shay’in qadeer’ one hundred times in a day will have the reward of freeing ten slaves, be recorded with a hundred good deeds, have a hundred bad deeds erased, and will receive protection from the devil that day until the evening time; no one can bring forth anything better than what he has brought, unless he does more than that.”
Hadiths on the Virtue of Charity
Many noble Hadiths articulate the importance of charity and encourage acts of giving. Here are a few examples:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) spoke of the seven whom Allah will shade on the Day of Judgment, saying: “And a man who gives in charity and conceals it so that his right hand does not know what his left hand spends.”
- He said: “Every day, two angels descend; one of them says: ‘O Allah, grant the spender compensation,’ and the other says: ‘O Allah, grant the miser destruction.’
- In another narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) explained that the world is for four types of individuals: a servant whom Allah has granted wealth and knowledge; he fears his Lord in it, maintains family ties, and knows the rights of Allah in it—this person is in the best position.
- He also advised: “If you wish your heart to soften, feed the needy and pat the head of the orphan.”
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) noted, “The man is in the shade of his charity until the people are judged.”
- He remarked: “Charity extinguishes sin just as water extinguishes fire.”
- The Messenger (peace be upon him) affirmed: “Charity does not decrease wealth.”
- He also said: “Treat your sick with charity.”
Hadiths on Good Character
Numerous Hadiths emphasize the importance of good character and promote its practice. Notable examples include:
- Reportedly, Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) stated: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) was neither obscene nor foul-tempered. He said: ‘The best among you are those with the best character.’
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Nothing weighs heavier on the Scale than good character.”
- He also stated: “The most beloved of you to me and the closest to me on the Day of Judgment will be those who have the best character.”
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) noted: “The believer can attain the rank of one who fasts and prays through his good character.”
- He explained: “The most complete in faith among the believers are those with the best character.”
- He said: “The most beloved of Allah’s servants to Him are those with the best character.”
- When asked about the most common reason for people entering Paradise, he replied: “Fear of Allah and good character.”
- Lastly, he stated: “I was sent to perfect good character.”