Faith

Ibn ‘Abbas told how a man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "I have thoughts of such a nature that I would rather be reduced to charcoal than speak about them.” He replied, ‘‘Praise be to God who has reduced [the devil] [1] to no more than evil prompting!” Abu Dawud transmitted it. [1] Or [his thoughts].

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, "The devil draws near to man, and so does the angel. The devil’s approach consists of promise of what is evil, and denial of what is true, whereas the angel’s approach consists of promise of what is good and confirmation of what is true. When anyone experiences the latter, let him know that it comes from God and let him praise God; but if he experiences the other, let him seek refuge in God from the accursed devil.” Then he recited, "The devil promises you poverty and urges you to iniquity.” [1] Tirmidhi transmitted it, and said this is a <i>gharib</i> tradition. [1] Quran. ii, 268.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, "Men will continue to question one another till this is propounded:

God created all things, but who created God? When they propound that, say, ‘God is one. God is He to whom men repair. He has not begotten and He has not been begotten, and no one is equal to Him.” [1] Then one should spit three times on his left side and seek refuge in God from the accursed devil.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. We shall mention the tradition of ‘Amr b. al-Ahwas in the chapter on the sermon on the day of sacrifice, if God will. [1] Book XI; Ch. xi

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Men will continue to question one another till they propound this:

‘God created everything, but who created God?’ ” Bukhari transmitted it. Muslim’s version is: He declared that God said, “Your people will continue to ask, ‘What is this?’ and ‘what is that?’ till they propound this: God created all things, but who created God?”

‘Uthman b. Abul-'As said he told God’s messenger that the devil interfered with his prayer and his recitation of the Qur’an, causing confusion in his mind, and God’s messenger replied, “That is a devil called Khinzab; so when you feel his presence seek refuge from him in God and spit three times on your left side.” ‘Uthman did so and God caused him to depart from him. Muslim transmitted it.

Al-Qasim b. Muhammad said that a man told him he was greatly distressed by wandering thoughts while he was engaged in prayer. He told him to persevere with his prayer, explaining that he would not be free from that till he said when he finished his prayer, “I have not performed my prayer perfectly.” Malik transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. 'Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “God recorded the fates of all creatures 50,000 years before creating the heavens and the earth, and His throne was upon the water.” Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “There are three qualities for which anyone who is characterised by them will experience the sweetness of faith:

he to whom God and His messenger are dearer than all else; he who loves a human being for God’s sake alone; and he who has as great an abhorrence of returning to unbelief after God has rescued him from it as he has of being cast into hell.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “Everything is decreed, even backwardness and shrewdness.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported that God’s messenger told of Adam and Moses holding a disputation in their Lord’s presence and of Adam getting the better of Moses in argument. Moses said, “You are Adam whom God created with His hand, into whom He breathed of His spirit, to whom He made the angels do obeisance, and whom He caused to dwell in His garden; then because of your sin you caused mankind to come down to the earth.” Adam replied, “And you are Moses whom God chose to deliver His messages and to address, to whom He gave the tablets on which everything was explained, and whom He brought near as a confidant. How long before I was created did you find that God has written the Torah?” [1] Moses said, “Forty years.” Adam asked, “Did you find in it, ‘And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred’?” [2] On being told that he did, he said, “Do you then blame me for doing a deed which God had decreed that I should do forty years before He created me?” God’s messenger said, “So Adam got the better of Moses in argument.” Muslim transmitted it. [1] At-Taurat, a general name for the first five books of the Old Testament. [2] These words are in Quran, xx, 121.

Ibn Mas'ud said that God’s messenger who spoke the truth and whose word was believed told them the following:

The constituents of one of you are collected for forty days in his mother’s womb in the form of a drop, then they become a piece of congealed blood for a similar period, then they become a lump of flesh for a similar period. Then God sends to him an angel with four words who records his deeds, the period of his life, his provision, and whether he will be miserable or blessed: thereafter He breathes the spirit into him. By Him other than whom there is no god, one of you will do the deeds of those who go to paradise so that there will be only a cubit between him and it, then what is decreed will overcome him so that he will do the deeds of those who go to hell and will enter it; and one of you will do the deeds of those who go to hell so that there will be only a cubit between him and it, then what is decreed will overcome him so that he will do the deeds of those who go to paradise and will enter it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Sahl b. Sa’d reported God’s messenger as saying, “One man does the deeds of those who go to hell but is one of those who go to paradise, and another does the deeds of those who go to paradise but is one of those who go to hell, for judgment is given according to one’s final actions.” (Bukhari and Muslim).

‘A’isha said:

God’s messenger was invited to the funeral of a boy who belonged to the Ansar and I said, “Messenger of God, this one is blessed; he is one of the young ones[1] in paradise, for he has done no evil, being too young for that.” He replied, “It may be otherwise, ‘A’isha, for God has created some to go to paradise, doing so when they were still in their fathers’ loins; and He has created others for hell, doing so when they were still in their fathers’ loins.” Muslim transmitted it. [1] Lit. small birds or sparrows.

‘Ali reported God’s messenger as saying, “The place which everyone of you will occupy in hell or in paradise has been recorded.” When his hearers asked him whether they should not trust simply in what had been recorded for them and abandon doing good deeds, he replied, “Go on doing them, for everyone is helped to do that for which he was created. Those who are among the number of the blessed will be helped to do appropriate deeds, and those who are among the number of the miserable will be helped to do appropriate deeds.” Then he recited, “As for him who gives, shows piety, and considers what is best to be true, We will help him to prosperity.” [1] (Bukhari and Muslim.) [1] Quran xcii, 527.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, “God has decreed for man his portion of fornication which he will inevitably commit. The fornication of the eye consists in looking, and of the tongue in speech. The soul wishes and desires, and the private parts accord with that or reject it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim he said, “Man’s share of fornication which he will inevitably commit is decreed for him. The fornication of the eyes consists in looking, of the ears in hearing, of the tongue in speech, of the hand in violence, and of the foot in walking. The heart lusts and wishes, and the private parts accord with that or reject it.”

‘Imran b, Husain told of two men of Muzaina who said, “Messenger of God, tell us whether what men do to-day and strive over is something which has been destined for them and has previously been decreed for them, or whether it is something their prophet has brought them with which they are encountered and which has become binding upon them.” He replied, “No, it is something which has been destined for them and previously decreed for them.” The verification of that is found in God’s Book which says, “By a soul and Him who formed it and implanted in it its wickedness and its piety.” [1] Muslim transmitted it. [1] Quran, xci, 7f.

Abu Huraira said:

I told God’s messenger that I, being a young man, was afraid of committing fornication, and I had no means to enable me to marry a wife. (It was as though he was asking permission to have himself made a eunuch.) He gave me no reply, so I repeated what I had said, but he gave me no reply. I repeated it again, but he gave me no reply. I repeated it once more and the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Abu Huraira, the pen has written all it has to write[1] about your destiny, so have yourself made a eunuch on that account, or leave things as they are.” Bukhari transmitted it. [1] Lit. “the pen dried up”.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “The hearts of all men are between two of the Compassionate’s fingers as if they were one heart which He turns about as He wills.” Then God’s messenger said, “O God, who turnest the hearts, turn our hearts to Your obedience!” Muslim transmitted it.

Al-‘Abbas b. ‘Abd al-Muttalib reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who is well-pleased with God as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as messenger will experience the savour of faith,” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Everyone is born a Muslim, but his parents make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian; just as a beast is born whole. Do you find some among them [born] maimed?” Then he was saying, “God’s pattern on which He formed mankind. There is no alteration of God’s creation. That is the true religion.” [1] (Bukhari and Muslim.) [1] Quran, xxx, 30. It is not quite clear whether these words were recited by the Prophet (ﷺ) or by Abu Huraira.