Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah)
كتاب السنة
Read the English translation first, with the original Arabic directly underneath.
Hadith
Khalid al-Hadhdha asked al-Hasan about the Quranic verse:
“Can lead (any) into temptation concerning Allah, except such as are (themselves) going to the blazing fire.” He said: Except the one whom Allah destined that he should go to Hell.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَامِلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ الْحَذَّاءُ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِلْحَسَنِ { مَا أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ بِفَاتِنِينَ * إِلاَّ مَنْ هُوَ صَالِ الْجَحِيمِ } قَالَ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَوْجَبَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ يَصْلَى الْجَحِيمَ .
Humaid said:
Al-Hasan used to say that his fall from the heaven on the earth is dearer to him than uttering: The matter is in my hand.
حَدَّثَنَا هِلاَلُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدٌ، قَالَ كَانَ الْحَسَنُ يَقُولُ لأَنْ يُسْقَطَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَنْ يَقُولَ الأَمْرُ بِيَدِي .
Humaid said:
Al-Hasan came to us. The jurists of Mecca told me that I should speak to him that some day he should hold a meeting for them and preach to them. He said: Yes. So they gathered and he addressed them. I did not see anyone on orator greater than him. A man said: Abu Sa’id, who created Satan? He replied: Glory be to Allah! Is there any creator other than Allah? Allah created Satan, and he created good and created evil. The man said: May Allah ruin them! How do they lie to this old man.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، قَالَ قَدِمَ عَلَيْنَا الْحَسَنُ مَكَّةَ فَكَلَّمَنِي فُقَهَاءُ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ أَنْ أُكَلِّمَهُ فِي أَنْ يَجْلِسَ لَهُمْ يَوْمًا يَعِظُهُمْ فِيهِ . فَقَالَ نَعَمْ . فَاجْتَمَعُوا فَخَطَبَهُمْ فَمَا رَأَيْتُ أَخْطَبَ مِنْهُ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا أَبَا سَعِيدٍ مَنْ خَلَقَ الشَّيْطَانَ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ هَلْ مِنْ خَالِقٍ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ الشَّيْطَانَ وَخَلَقَ الْخَيْرَ وَخَلَقَ الشَّرَّ . قَالَ الرَّجُلُ قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ كَيْفَ يَكْذِبُونَ عَلَى هَذَا الشَّيْخِ .
Humaid al-Tawil asked al-Hasan about the verse:
“Even so do We let it creep into the hearts of the sinners.” He said: Polytheism
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ كَثِيرٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ الطَّوِيلِ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، { كَذَلِكَ نَسْلُكُهُ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ } قَالَ الشِّرْكُ .
Explaining the Quranic verse; “And between them and their desire is placed a barrier.” Al-Hasan said:
Between them and their faith.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ، قَدْ سَمَّاهُ غَيْرِ ابْنِ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدٍ الصِّيدِ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ { وَحِيلَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ } قَالَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الإِيمَانِ .
Ibn ‘Awn said:
I was a prisoner in Syria. A man called me from behind. I turned towards him and suddenly found that it was Raja b. Haiwah. He said: Abu ‘Awn, what is this that the people are telling about al-Hasan? I said: They are much lying to al-Hasan.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَوْنٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ أَسِيرُ بِالشَّامِ فَنَادَانِي رَجُلٌ مِنْ خَلْفِي فَالْتَفَتُّ فَإِذَا رَجَاءُ بْنُ حَيْوَةَ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَوْنٍ مَا هَذَا الَّذِي يَذْكُرُونَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّهُمْ يَكْذِبُونَ عَلَى الْحَسَنِ كَثِيرًا .
Hammad said:
I heard Ayyub say: Two kinds of people have lied to al-Hasan: people who believed in free will and they intended that they publicise their belief by it; and people who had enmity with and hostility (for al-Hasan), saying: Did he not say so and so? Did he not say so and so?
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَيُّوبَ، يَقُولُ كَذَبَ عَلَى الْحَسَنِ ضَرْبَانِ مِنَ النَّاسِ قَوْمٌ الْقَدَرُ رَأْيُهُمْ وَهُمْ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُنَفِّقُوا بِذَلِكَ رَأْيَهُمْ وَقَوْمٌ لَهُ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ شَنَآنٌ وَبُغْضٌ يَقُولُونَ أَلَيْسَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ كَذَا أَلَيْسَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ كَذَا
Yahya b. Kathir al-‘Anbari said:
Qurrah b. Khalid used to tell us: O young people! Do not think that al-Hasan denied predestination, for his opinion (i.e., belief) was sunnah and sight.
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، أَنَّ يَحْيَى بْنَ كَثِيرٍ الْعَنْبَرِيَّ، حَدَّثَهُمْ قَالَ كَانَ قُرَّةُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ يَقُولُ لَنَا يَا فِتْيَانُ لاَ تُغْلَبُوا عَلَى الْحَسَنِ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ رَأْيُهُ السُّنَّةَ وَالصَّوَابَ .
Ibn ‘Awn said:
If we learnt that the remark of al-Hasan would reach the extent that it has reached, we would write a book for his withdrawal and call witnesses to him; but we said: This is a remark that surprisingly came out (from him) and it will not be transmitted to others.
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُؤَمَّلُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَوْنٍ، قَالَ لَوْ عَلِمْنَا أَنَّ كَلِمَةَ، الْحَسَنِ تَبْلُغُ مَا بَلَغَتْ لَكَتَبْنَا بِرُجُوعِهِ كِتَابًا وَأَشْهَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ شُهُودًا وَلَكِنَّا قُلْنَا كَلِمَةٌ خَرَجَتْ لاَ تُحْمَلُ .
Ayyub said:
Al-Hasan said: I will never return to it.
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، قَالَ قَالَ لِيَ الْحَسَنُ مَا أَنَا بِعَائِدٍ، إِلَى شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ أَبَدًا .
‘Uthman al-Batti said:
Al-Hasan never interpreted any Quranic verse but to establish (Divine decree).
حَدَّثَنَا هِلاَلُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ الْبَتِّيِّ، قَالَ مَا فَسَّرَ الْحَسَنُ آيَةً قَطُّ إِلاَّ عَلَى الإِثْبَاتِ .
Ibn ‘Umar said:
We used to say in the times of the Prophet (ﷺ): We do not compare anyone with Abu Bakr. ’Umar came next and then ‘Uthman. We then would leave (rest of) the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) without treating any as superior to other.
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَسْوَدُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كُنَّا نَقُولُ فِي زَمَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ نَعْدِلُ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ أَحَدًا ثُمَّ عُمَرَ ثُمَّ عُثْمَانَ ثُمَّ نَتْرُكُ أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ تَفَاضُلَ بَيْنَهُمْ .
Ibn ‘Umar said:
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was alive, we used to say: The most excellent member of the community of the Prophet (ﷺ) after himself is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then 'Uthman.
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَنْبَسَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ قَالَ سَالِمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ قَالَ كُنَّا نَقُولُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَىٌّ أَفْضَلُ أُمَّةِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعْدَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ثُمَّ عُمَرُ ثُمَّ عُثْمَانُ رضى الله عنهم أَجْمَعِينَ .
Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyyah said:
I said to my father: Which of the people after the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is best? He replied: Abu Bakr. I then asked: Who comes next? He said: ‘Umar. I was then afraid of asking him who came next, and he might mention ‘Uthman, so I said: You came next, O my father? He said: I am only a man among the Muslims.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا جَامِعُ بْنُ أَبِي رَاشِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يَعْلَى، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ ابْنِ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي أَىُّ النَّاسِ خَيْرٌ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ . قَالَ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ ثُمَّ عُمَرُ . قَالَ ثُمَّ خَشِيتُ أَنْ أَقُولَ ثُمَّ مَنْ فَيَقُولَ عُثْمَانُ فَقُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَنْتَ يَا أَبَةِ قَالَ مَا أَنَا إِلاَّ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ .
Muhammad al-Firyabl said:
I heard Sufyan say: If anyone thinks that ‘All (Allah be pleased with him) was more deserving for the Caliphate than both of them, he imputed error to Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, the Muhajirun (Immigrants), and the Ansar (Helpers) Allah be pleased with all of them. I think that with this (belief) none of his action will rise to the heaven.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مِسْكِينٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، - يَعْنِي الْفِرْيَابِيَّ - قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سُفْيَانَ، يَقُولُ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا، عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ أَحَقَّ بِالْوِلاَيَةِ مِنْهُمَا فَقَدْ خَطَّأَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنْصَارَ وَمَا أُرَاهُ يَرْتَفِعُ لَهُ مَعَ هَذَا عَمَلٌ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ .
Sufyan al-Thawri said:
The Caliphs are five: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘All and ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-Aziz.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فَارِسٍ، حَدَّثَنَا قَبِيصَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّادٌ السَّمَّاكُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيَّ، يَقُولُ الْخُلَفَاءُ خَمْسَةٌ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمَانُ وَعَلِيٌّ وَعُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ رضى الله عنهم .
Ibn 'Abbas said:
Abu Hurairah said that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: I saw (in my dream) a piece of cloud from which ghee and honey were dropping. I saw the people spreading their hands. Some of them took much and some a little. I also saw a rope hanging from Heaven to Earth. I saw, Messenger of Allah, that you caught hold of it and ascended by it. Then another man caught hold of it and ascended it. Then another man caught hold of it and ascended it. Then another man caught hold of it, but it broke, and then it was joined and he ascended it. AbuBakr said: May my parents be sacrificed for you, if you allow, I shall interpret it. He said: Interpret it. He said: The piece of cloud is the cloud of Islam; the ghee and honey that were dropping from it are the Qur'an, which contains softness and sweetness. Those who received much or little of it are those who learn much or little of the Qur'an. The rope hanging from Heaven to Earth is the truth which you are following. You catch hold of it and then Allah will raise you to Him. Then another man will catch hold of it and ascend it, Then another man will catch hold of it and it will break. But it will be joined and he will ascend it. Tell me. Messenger of Allah, whether I am right or wrong. He said: You are partly right and partly wrong. He said: I adjure you by Allah, you should tell me where I am wrong. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Do not take an oath.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ فَارِسٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، - قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ كَتَبْتُهُ مِنْ كِتَابِهِ - قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ كَانَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَتَى إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَرَى اللَّيْلَةَ ظُلَّةً يَنْطِفُ مِنْهَا السَّمْنُ وَالْعَسَلُ فَأَرَى النَّاسَ يَتَكَفَّفُونَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ فَالْمُسْتَكْثِرُ وَالْمُسْتَقِلُّ وَأَرَى سَبَبًا وَاصِلاً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَأَرَاكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخَذْتَ بِهِ فَعَلَوْتَ بِهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِهِ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَعَلاَ بِهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِهِ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَعَلاَ بِهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِهِ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَانْقَطَعَ ثُمَّ وُصِلَ فَعَلاَ بِهِ . قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بِأَبِي وَأُمِّي لَتَدَعَنِّي فَلأَعْبُرَنَّهَا . فَقَالَ " اعْبُرْهَا " . قَالَ أَمَّا الظُّلَّةُ فَظُلَّةُ الإِسْلاَمِ وَأَمَّا مَا يَنْطِفُ مِنَ السَّمْنِ وَالْعَسَلِ فَهُوَ الْقُرْآنُ لِينُهُ وَحَلاَوَتُهُ وَأَمَّا الْمُسْتَكْثِرُ وَالْمُسْتَقِلُّ فَهُوَ الْمُسْتَكْثِرُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَالْمُسْتَقِلُّ مِنْهُ وَأَمَّا السَّبَبُ الْوَاصِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَهُوَ الْحَقُّ الَّذِي أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِ تَأْخُذُ بِهِ فَيُعْلِيكَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ يَأْخُذُ بِهِ بَعْدَكَ رَجُلٌ فَيَعْلُو بِهِ ثُمَّ يَأْخُذُ بِهِ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَيَعْلُو بِهِ ثُمَّ يَأْخُذُ بِهِ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَيَنْقَطِعُ ثُمَّ يُوصَلُ لَهُ فَيَعْلُو بِهِ أَىْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَتُحَدِّثَنِّي أَصَبْتُ أَمْ أَخْطَأْتُ . فَقَالَ " أَصَبْتَ بَعْضًا وَأَخْطَأْتَ بَعْضًا " . فَقَالَ أَقْسَمْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَتُحَدِّثَنِّي مَا الَّذِي أَخْطَأْتُ . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تُقْسِمْ " .
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Ibn ‘abbas through a different chain of narrators. This version adds:
He refused to tell him (his mistake).
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ فَارِسٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِهَذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ قَالَ فَأَبَى أَنْ يُخْبِرَهُ .
Narrated AbuBakrah:
One day the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Which of you had dream? A man said: It is I. I saw as though a scale descended from the sky. You and AbuBakr were weighed and you were heavier; AbuBakr and Umar were weighed and AbuBakr was heavier: Umar and Uthman were weighed and Umar was heavier; than the scale was taken up. we saw signs of dislike on the face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ رُؤْيَا
Abu Bakrah said:
One day the Prophet (ﷺ) asked: Which of you had a dream? He then mentioned the rest of the tradition to the same effect, but he did not mention the word “disliked”. Instead, he said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was grieved about that. He then said: There will be a caliphate on the model of prophecy, then Allah will give the kingdom to whom he wills.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ " أَيُّكُمْ رَأَى رُؤْيَا " . فَذَكَرَ مَعْنَاهُ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ الْكَرَاهِيَةَ . قَالَ فَاسْتَاءَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعْنِي فَسَاءَهُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ " خِلاَفَةُ نُبُوَّةٍ ثُمَّ يُؤْتِي اللَّهُ الْمُلْكَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ " .