Prophetic Sayings

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) guided humanity on matters beneficial across all aspects of life. Within the esteemed Sunnah, numerous hadiths cover a wide array of topics, with some of the most significant highlighted below:

Hadiths on Morality

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) exemplified the highest standards of character and urged his followers to embrace noble morals while praising those who practice them. Notable sayings include:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: “The most complete believers in faith are those with the best character, and the best among you are those who are best to their women.”
He also mentioned: “Nothing is heavier on the believer’s scale on the Day of Judgment than good character; indeed, Allah abhors indecency and obscenity.”
He said: “The believers in their mutual love, mercy, and compassion are like a body; when one part suffers, the whole body responds with wakefulness and fever.”
Concerning honesty, he proclaimed: “Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to paradise, and a man continues to be truthful until he is recorded with Allah as truthful. Lies lead to wickedness, and wickedness leads to hellfire, and a man continues to lie until he is recorded with Allah as a liar.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Ashaj’ Abdul-Qais (may Allah be pleased with him): “You possess two qualities that Allah loves: forbearance and deliberation.”
He remarked: “No one has been given a gift greater and more expansive than patience.”
On modesty, he stated: “Faith consists of more than seventy branches; the highest is the declaration of faith, and the lowest is removing a harmful object from the path, and modesty is a branch of faith.”

Hadiths on Knowledge

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized the pursuit of knowledge and the rewards bestowed upon those who seek it from Allah (Exalted and Mighty). Some enlightening sayings include:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whomever Allah desires good for, He grants understanding of the religion.”
He continued: “The virtue of a scholar over a devout worshipper is like my virtue over the least of you. Verily, Allah and His angels, and the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the ant in its hole and the fish in the sea, send blessings upon those who teach the people good.”
“Whoever follows a path in search of knowledge, Allah makes easy for him a path to paradise. The angels lower their wings in satisfaction for the seeker of knowledge, and the scholar is forgiven by all in the heavens and on earth, including the fish in the sea. The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like that of the full moon over the stars. Scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets do not leave behind dinars or dirhams; rather, they leave knowledge. Whoever takes it has taken a great fortune,” he elaborated.
He remarked: “When a person dies, their deeds cease except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for them.”
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) warned, “Do not seek knowledge to boast about it before the scholars, nor to argue with the foolish, nor to prefer certain gatherings; whoever does so, the Fire, the Fire awaits him.”
He further encouraged: “May Allah brighten the face of a person who hears my words and conveys them; perhaps the bearer of understanding is lacking in understanding, and the bearer of understanding may convey it to one who is more knowledgeable than them.”

Hadiths about the Qur’an

There are numerous hadiths concerning the Qur’an in the Sunnah. At times, the Prophet urges reading and pondering over it, while at other times, he highlights its immense virtues, the merits of memorizing it, and more. Here are key hadiths about the Qur’an:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “The one who is proficient in the Qur’an is with the noble and pious scribes, and the one who reads the Qur’an but struggles with it has two rewards.”
He illustrated: “The example of the one who recites the Qur’an is like that of the goodly fruit; its taste is pleasant, and its fragrance is sweet. The one who does not recite the Qur’an is like a date; its taste is good but it has no fragrance. The example of the sinful person who recites the Qur’an is like that of basil; its fragrance is good, but its taste is bitter. Conversely, the example of the sinful person who does not recite the Qur’an is like bitter colocynth; its taste is bitter, and it has no fragrance.”
He advised: “Read the Qur’an, for it will come on the Day of Judgment as an intercessor for its companions. Recite Al-Baqarah and Al-Imran, for they will come on the Day of Resurrection as two clouds or two shades or two flocks of birds in ranks, arguing on behalf of their companions. Recite Al-Baqarah; taking it is a blessing, and abandoning it is a regret, and the magicians cannot handle it.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) noted: “Indeed, Allah has people among the nations; they asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, who are they?’ He replied: ‘They are the people of the Qur’an, the people of Allah and His chosen ones.’
He further likened: “The companion of the Qur’an is like a tethered camel; if it is entrusted, it remains secure, but if it is released, it escapes.”
Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to us while we were reading the Qur’an, and there was an Arab and a foreigner among us. He said: ‘Recite, for all readings are good, and there will come people who will hasten their readings without delay like they hasten the drawing of lots.’
From Imran bin Al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him): “He passed by a storyteller reading, then he asked him to recite and he retold, then said: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: Whoever reads the Qur’an, let him ask Allah through it, for there will come people who read the Qur’an and ask others for it.'”

Hadiths about Work

Work is a significant form of worship that uplifts the community. Numerous authentic hadiths address the importance of work and its merit in Islam. Some of the mentioned sayings include:

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Allah did not send any Prophet without having tended sheep.” His companions asked: “And you?” He replied: “Yes, I used to tend sheep for the people of Mecca for a few dirhams.”
He declared: “O Allah, bless my community in their morning hours.” It was noted that whenever he sent a military expedition, he sent them at the beginning of the day. Sahr was a businessman, and he also dispatched his trade at the day’s start, leading to abundant wealth.
The hadith mentions: “Indeed, Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) would not eat except from his own handiwork.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised: “It is better for any one of you to carry a bundle of firewood on his back than to ask a person, who may either give or deny him.”

Definition of Prophetic Hadith

In terminology, the Prophetic Hadith refers to anything attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in terms of speech, action, tacit approval, or description—whether in character or appearance. Tacit approval implies the Prophet’s silence concerning an act or statement. This definition specifically pertains to authentic narrations attributed to him, guiding Muslims to avoid misconceptions regarding his teachings and to emulate his established traits and actions.