Category: Islam

Imam Al-Nawawi’s Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 257
Prohibition of Calumny

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“A slanderer, going about with calumnies.” (68:11)

“Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).” (50:18)

1536. Hudhaifah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “The person who goes about with calumnies will never enter Jannah.”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1537. Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) passed by two graves and said, “Both of them (the persons in these graves) are being tortured, and they are not being tortured for a cardinal sin. But indeed they are great sins. One of them used not to save himself from being soiled with his urine, and the other one used to go about with calumnies (among the people to rouse hostilities, e.g., one goes to a person and tells him that so-and-so says about him such and such evil things).”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1538. Ibn Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Shall I tell you what `Al-`Adhu’ (falsehood and slandering) is? It is calumny which is committed among the people.”
[Muslim].

Imam Al-Nawawi’s Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 253
Superiority of Auliya’ and their Marvels

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“No doubt! Verily, the Auliya’ of Allah [i.e., those who believe in the Oneness of Allah and fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden), and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve. Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism), and used to fear Allah much (by abstaining from evil deeds and sins and by doing righteous deeds). For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present world (i.e., through a righteous dream seen by the person himself or shown to others), and in the Hereafter. No change can there be in the Words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme success.” (10: 62-64)

“And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you. So eat and drink.” (19: 25,26)

“Every time he (Zakariya) entered Al-Mihrab to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: `O Maryam (Mary)! From where have you got this?’ She said, `This is from Allah.’ Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit.” (3:37)

“(The young men said to one another): `And when you withdraw from them, and that which they worship, except Allah, then seek refuge in the Cave; your Rubb will open a way for you from His Mercy and will make easy for you your affair (i.e., will give you what you will need of provision, dwelling). And you might have seen the sun, when it rose, declining to the right from their Cave, and when it set, turning away from them to the left…” (18:16,17)

1503. `Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Companions of As-Suffah were poor people. The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whoever has food enough for two people, should take a third one (from among them), and whoever has food enough for four persons, should take a fifth or sixth (or said something similar).” Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) took three people with him while Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) took ten. Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) took his supper with the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and stayed there till he offered the `Isha’ prayers. After a part of the night had passed, he returned to his house. His wife said to him: “What has detained you from your guests?” He said: “Have you not served supper to them?” She said: “They refused to take supper until you come.” [Abdur-Rahman (Abu Bakr’s son) or the servants] presented the meal to them but they refused to eat. I (the narrator) hid myself out of fear. Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) (my father) rebuked me. Then he said to them: “Please eat. By Allah! I will never eat the meal.” `Abdur-Rahman added: Whenever we took a morsel of the meal, the meal grew from underneath more than that morsel we had till everybody ate to his satisfaction; yet the remaining food was more than what was in the beginning. On seeing this, Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) called his wife and said: “O sister of Banu Firas! What is this?” She said: “O pleasure of my eyes! The food has increased thrice in quantity.” Then Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) started eating. He said: “My oath not to take the meal was because of Satan.” He took a morsel handful from it and carried the rest to the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam). That food remained with him. In those days there was a treaty between us and the pagans and when the period of that treaty elapsed, he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) divided us into twelve groups and every group was headed by a man. Allah knows how many men were under the command of each leader. Anyhow, all of them ate of that meal.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

    There are some more narrations in both Al-Bukhari and Muslim with very minor differences in wordings and in details.

1504. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “There were Muhaddithun (the recipients of Divine inspiration) among the nations before you. If there is any of such Muhaddith among my followers, he must be `Umar.”
[Al-Bukhari].

     In Muslim, this Hadith is narrated by `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her), and in both these narrations Ibn Wahb has said that the meaning of Muhaddithun is recipients of Divine inspiration.

1505.  Jabir bin Samurah (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The inhabitants of Kufah complained to `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) against Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas (May Allah be pleased with him) and `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) appointed `Ammar (May Allah be pleased with him) as Governor of Kufah in his place. Their complaint was that he did not even conduct As-Salat (the prayers) properly. `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) sent for Sa`d and said to him: “O Abu Ishaq, the people claim that you do not offer the Salat properly.” Sa`d replied: “By Allah! I observe Salat according to the Salat of the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam), and I make no decrease in it. I prolong Qiyam (standing) in the first two Rak`ah in Maghrib and `Isha’ prayers and shorten in the last ones.” `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “This is what I thought of you, O Abu Ishaq!” Then he sent with him a man (or some men) to Kufah to investigate the matter about him (from the people of Kufah). The inquiry was conducted in every mosque and all the people in these mosques praised him; but in the mosque of the Banu `Abs, a man, with the name of Usamah bin Qatadah and surname Abu Sa`dah, stood up and said, “Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas did not participate in Jihad and he did not distribute the spoils equitably and did not judge justly.” On this Sa`d said: “I shall make three supplications in respect of him: O Allah! If this slave of Yours is a liar and seeker of notoriety, please prolong his life and lengthen his period of adversity and afflict him with trials.” (And so did it happen.) Thereafter, when the man was asked about his condition he would say, “I am an old man afflicted with trials and overtaken by the curses of Sa`d.”

`Abdul-Malik bin `Umair (a subnarrator) said: I saw this man with eyebrows hung over his eyes as a result of his old age and he walked aimlessly, following young girls and winking at them.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1506. `Urwah bin Az-Zubair (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Arwa bint Aus brought a suit against Sa`id bin Zaid bin `Amr bin Nufail (May Allah be pleased with him). She complained to Marwan bin Al-Hakam that he had wrongfully taken possession of a portion of her land. Sa`id said: “How can I take a portion out of her land while I have heard a denunciation from the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam).” Marwan asked him: “What did you hear from the Messenger of Allah?” He said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saying, `He who takes a span of land unjustly will be made to wear seven earths round his neck on the Day of Ressurection’.” Marwan said to him: “I don’t seek proof from you after this.” Sa`id supplicated: “O Allah! If she is a liar, deprive her of her eye sight and cause her to die in her land.” `Urwah said: “She did not die till she became blind. While she was walking in her land (concerning which the dispute arose) she fell down into a pit and died.”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

      In another narration of Muslim, Muhammad bin Zaid bin `Abdullah bin `Umar said that he had seen Arwa blind, feeling for on the walls with her hand and saying: “I am ruined by the curse of Sa`id.” Later she fell in a well in the same disputed land and died.

1507. Jabir bin `Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with them) said: My father called me on the evening before (the battle of) Uhud and said: “I perceive that I shall be among the first from among the Companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) to be martyred, and after him you are the dearest to me. I am under the burden of debt. Pay it and treat your sisters well.” Next morning he was among the first to be killed, so I buried him along with another in the same grave. Thereafter, I did not like that I should leave him with another in the grave. So I dug up his corpse after six months and he was in the same condition in which he was on the day when I buried him, except that there was a scratch on his ear. Then I buried him in a separate grave.
[Al-Bukhari].

1508. Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Two Companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) left his home in a very dark night with something like lights in front of them; when they separated, each of them had one light in front of him till they arrived home.
[Al-Bukhari].

Other narrations reported in Al-Bukhari say that the two men were Usaid bin Hudhair and `Abbad bin Bishr (May Allah be pleased with them).

1509. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) sent an espionage mission of ten men under the leadership of `Asim bin Thabit Al-Ansari (May Allah be pleased with him). They proceeded till they reached Al-Had’ah, a place between `Usfan and Makkah and the news of their arrival reached a section of the tribe of Hudhail, called Banu Lihyan. About one hundred men, who were all archers, hurried to follow their tracks. When `A   sim and his companions came to know of their pursuers, they took refuge in a safe place. The infidels encircled them and said to them: “Come down and surrender, and we promise and guarantee you that we will not kill anyone of you.” `Asim bin Thabit (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “By Allah! I will not come down to be under the protection of disbelievers. O Allah! convey this news to our Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam).” Then the infidels shot arrows at them till they killed `Asim. Three men came down relying on their promise and covenant. They were Khubaib, Zaid bin Ad-Dathinah and another man. When the disbelievers captured them, they tied them up with the strings of their bows. The third of the captives said: “This is the beginning of first betrayal. By Allah! I will not go with you. I have a good example in these (martyrs).” So they dragged him and tried to compel him to accompany them, but he refused. At last they killed him. They took Khubaib and Zaid bin Ad-Dathina with them and sold them as slaves in Makkah. This incident took place after the battle of Badr.

Khubaib was bought by the sons of Al-Harith bin `Amir bin Naufal bin `Abd Manaf. It was Khubaib who had killed Al-Harith in the battle of Badr. Khubaib remained a prisoner with those people for a few days till the sons of Al-Harith resolved to kill him.

When Khubaib (May Allah be pleased with him) got wind of this plot, he borrowed a razor from one of Al-Harith’s daughters in order to remove his pubic hair. Her little son crawled towards Khubaib because of her carelessness. Later on, she saw her son on his thigh and the razor was in his hand. She got scared so much that Khubaib noticed the agitation on her face and said: “Are you afraid that I will kill him? No, I will never do that.” She later remarked (after Al-Khubaib got martyred): “By Allah! I never saw a prisoner better than Khubaib.” She added: “By Allah! I saw him once eating of a bunch of grapes in his hand while he was chained and there was no such fruit at that time in Makkah. Probably it was a boon which Allah bestowed upon Khubaib.”

When they took him out of the Haram of Makkah to kill him outside its boundaries, Khubaib requested them to let him offer two Rak`ah of voluntary prayer. They allowed him and he offered two Rak`ah prayer. Then he said: “Had I not apprehended that you would think that I was afraid of death, I would have prolonged the prayer. O Allah! Count their number; slay them one by one and spare not one of them.” He then recited these poetic verses:

`I do not care how they kill me as long as I get martyred in the Cause of Allah as a Muslim. I received my death for Allah’s sake. If Allah so desires, He will bless, the amputated limbs of the torn body.’

Then the son of Al-Harith killed him. It was Khubaib who set the tradition for any Muslim sentenced to death in captivity to offer two Rak`ah of voluntary prayer. On that day the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) informed his Companions of the martyrdom of Khubaib. Later on, when some disbelievers from Quraish were informed that `Asim had been martyred, they sent some people to fetch a significant part of his body to ascertain his death. (This was because) `Asim had killed one of their chiefs. So Allah sent a swarm of wasps, resembling a shady cloud, to hover over the body of `Asim and to shield him from their messengers, and thus they could not cut off anything from his body.
[Al-Bukhari].

1510. Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: I never heard `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) relating anything that he conceived it to be so-and-so, but that it proved to be as he had conceived it.”

[Al-Bukhari].

Imam Al-Nawawi’s Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 261
Falsehood that is Permissible

The learned compiler of this book has put forth some arguments to prove that it is lawful to tell a lie under the stress of circumstances. An example of this is the case of a Muslim who hides himself or his money from a tyrant who is bent on killing him or taking his money from him. If one knows the whereabouts of this Muslim or his money and is asked about it, it is permissible to lie in this case to save a Muslim’s life or his property, but it is better to give an equivocal answer, that is one which is not clear or definite in meaning, and that can be interpreted in more than one way in order to shun lying altogether. The sum and substance of discussion has been derived from the narration ascribed to Umm Kulthum (May Allah be pleased with her). She said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “A liar is not the one who tries to bring about a reconciliation between the people and speaks good to avert dispute or to convey good.”
[Al-Bukhari].

Imam Al-Nawawi’s Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 275
Prohibition of Deriding one’s Lineage

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear on themselves the crime of slander and plain sin.” (33:58)

1578. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Two matters are signs of disbelief on the part of those who indulge in them: Defaming and speaking evil of a person’s lineage, and wailing over the dead.”
[Muslim].

Chapter 260
Condemnation and Prohibition of Falsehood

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And follow not (O man, i.e., say not or do not or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge.” (17:36)

“Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).” (50:18)

1542. Ibn Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Truth leads to piety and piety leads to Jannah. A man persists in speaking the truth till he is recorded with Allah as a truthful man. Falsehood leads to transgression and transgression leads to the Hell-fire. A man continues to speak falsehood till he is recorded with Allah as a great liar.”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1543. `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whosoever possesses these four characteristics, is a sheer hypocrite; and anyone who possesses one of them, possesses a characteristic of hypocrisy till he gives it up. (These are:) When he talks, he tells a lie; when he makes a covenant, he acts treacherously; and when he quarrels, he utters foul language.”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1544. Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “He who narrates a dream which he has not seen will be put to trouble to join into a knot two barley seeds which he will not be able to do; and he who seeks to listen to the talk of a people (secretly) will have molten lead poured into his ears on the Day of Resurrection; and he who makes a picture (of people or other creatures with a soul, such as animals and insects) will be (severely punished), and he will be asked to infuse spirit therein, which he will not be able to do.”
[Al-Bukhari].

1545. Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) as saying: “The worst of lies is to pretend to have seen something which he has not seen.”
[Al-Bukhari].

1546. Sumurah bin Jundub (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) very often used to ask his Companions, “Do any one of you has seen a dream?” So dreams would be narrated to him by those whom Allah willed to relate. One day he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Last night I had a vision in which two men (angels) came to me and woke me up and said to me, `Proceed!’ I set out with them and we came across a man lying down, and behold, another man was standing over his head, holding a big rock. Behold, he was throwing the rock at the man’s head, smashing it. When he struck him, the stone rolled away and he went after it to get it, and no sooner had he returned to this man, his head was healed and restored to its former condition. The thrower (of the rock) then did the same as he had done before. I said to my two companions, `Subhan-Allah! Who are these?’ They said: `Proceed, proceed.’ So we proceeded and came to a man lying in a prone position and another man standing over his head with an iron hook, and behold, he would put the hook in one side of the man’s mouth and tear off that side of his face to the back (of the neck), and similarly tear his nose from front to back, and his eyes from front to back. Then he turned to the other side of the man’s face and did just as he has done with the first side. He had hardly completed that (second) side when the first returned to its normal state. I said to my two companions, `Subhan-Allah! Who are these?’ They said, `Proceed, proceed.’ So we proceeded and came across something like a Tannur (a kind of baking oven, a pit usually clay-lined for baking bread).” I (the narrator) think the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “In that oven there was much noise and voices.” The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) added, “We looked into it and found naked men and women, and behold, a flame of fire was reaching to them from underneath, and when it reached them they cried loudly. I asked, `Who are these?’ They said to me, `Proceed, proceed.’ And so we proceeded and came across a river.” I (the narrator) think he said, “– red like blood.” The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) added, “And behold, in the river there was a man swimming, and on the bank there was a man who had collected many stones. Behold, while the other man was swimming, he went near him. The former opened his mouth and the latter (on the bank) threw a stone into his mouth whereupon he went swimming again. Then again he (the former) returned to him (the latter), and every time the former returned, he opened his mouth, and the latter threw a stone into his mouth, (and so on) the performance was repeated. I asked my two companions, `Who are these?’ They replied, `Proceed, proceed.’ And we proceeded till we came to a man with a repulsive appearance, the most repulsive appearance you ever saw a man having! Beside him there was a fire, and he was kindling it and running around it. I asked my two companions, `Who is this (man).’ They said to me, `Proceed, proceed!’ So we proceeded till we reached a garden of deep green dense vegetation, having all sorts of spring colours. In the midst of the garden there was a very tall man, and I could hardly see his head because of his great height, and around him there were children in such a large number as I have never seen! I said to my two companions, `Who is this?’ They replied, `Proceed, proceed.’ So we proceeded till we came to a majestic, huge garden, greater and better than any garden I have ever seen! My two companions said to me, `Ascend up’ and I ascended up.” The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) added, “So we ascended till we reached a city built of gold and silver bricks, and we went to its gate and asked (the gatekeeper) to open the gate, and it was opened; and we entered the city and found in it men with one side of their bodies as handsome as the most handsome person you have ever seen, and the other side as ugly as the ugliest person you have ever seen! My two companions ordered those men to throw themselves into the river. Behold, there was a river flowing across (the city), and its water was like milk in whiteness. Those men went and threw themselves in it and then returned to us after the ugliness (of their bodies) had disappeared, and they came in the best shape.” The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) further added, “My two companions said to me: `This place is the `Adn Jannah, and that is your place.’ I raised up my sight, and behold, there I saw a palace like a white cloud! My two companions said to me, `That palace is your place,’ I said to them, `May Allah bless you both! Let me enter it.’ They replied, `As for now, you will not enter it, but you shall enter it (one day).’ I said to them, `I have seen many wonders tonight. What does all that mean which I have seen?’ They replied, `We will inform you: As for the first man you came upon, whose head was being smashed with the rock, he is the symbol of the one who studies the Qur’an and then neither recites it nor acts on its orders, and sleeps, neglecting the enjoined prayers. As for the man you came upon, whose sides of mouth, nostrils and eyes were torn off from front to back, he is the symbol of the man who goes out of his house in the morning and tells lies that are spread all over the world. And those naked men and women whom you saw in a construction resembling an oven, they are the adulterers and the adulteresses. And the man who was given a stone to swallow is the eater of Ar-Riba (usury), and the bad-looking man whom you saw near the fire, kindling it and going around it, is Malik, the gatekeeper of Hell, and the tall man you saw in the garden is (Prophet) Abraham, and the children around him are those who died upon Al-Fitrah (the Islamic Faith of Monotheism).”’ The narrator added: Some Muslims asked the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) , “O Messenger of Allah! What about the children of Al-Mushrikun (i.e., polytheists, pagans, idolaters, and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam))?” The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) replied, “And also the children of Al-Mushrikun.” The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) added: “My two companions added, `The men you saw half handsome and half ugly were these people who had mixed an act that was good with another that was bad, but Allah forgave them‘.”

Another narration of Al-Bukhari is: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “One night two men came to me and took me to a blessed land.” (The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) told of the same incident as above) and said, “After a while of walking we came upon a pit like an oven, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom with fire raging in it. When the flames rose up (the people in it) also rose up till they were about to come out; and when the fire subsided they, too, would go down with it. In it were naked men and women.” (The remainder of the Hadith is the same as the above Hadith except that at the end of it, the Messenger of Allah said: “We came upon a river of blood in the middle of which there was a man standing, and at the bank of the river there was a man with plenty of stones before him...” In this narration we also find: “They made me climb the tree and they made me enter an abode so beautiful the like of which I have never seen before. There (I saw) old men and youth.” In this narration we also find: “`The first house you entered was the abode of the believers in general, and the other house was the abode of the martyrs. I am Jibril (Gabriel), and this is Mika’il. Raise your head.’ I looked up and saw something like clouds. They said to me, `That is your abode.’ I said, `Shall I enter it?’ They said, `You have not completed your term of life yet. When you do, you will certainly enter it.”’
[Al-Bukhari]

Imam Al-Nawawi’s Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 274
Prohibition of Rejoicing over another’s Trouble

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion).” (49:10)

“Verily, those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter.” (24:19)

1577. Wathilah bin Al-Asqa` (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Do not express pleasure at the misfortune of a (Muslim) brother lest Allah should bestow mercy upon him and make you suffer from a misfortune.”
[At-Tirmidhi].

Imam Al-Nawawi’s Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 282
Prohibition of Cruelty

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful.” (4:36)

1600. Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “A woman was punished in Hell because of a cat which she had confined until it died. She did not give it to eat or to drink when it was confined, nor did she free it so that it might eat the vermin of the earth.”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

1601.  Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: I happened to pass by some lads of the Quraish who had tied a bird at which they have been shooting arrows. Every arrow that they missed came into the possession of the owner of the bird. No sooner had they seen Ibn `Umar, they dispersed. Thereupon, Ibn `Umar said: “Who has done this? May Allah curse him who has done so. Verily, the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) has cursed anyone who makes a live thing the target (of one’s marksmanship).”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1602. Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) forbade animals being tied (as targets).
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1603. Abu Ali Suwaid bin Muqarrin (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I was the seventh child of Banu Muqarrin and we had only one slave-girl. When the youngest of us once happened to slap her (on the face) the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) ordered us to set her free.
[Muslim].

1604. Abu Mas`ud Al-Badri (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I was beating my slave with a whip when I heard a voice behind me which said: “Abu Mas`ud! Bear in mind…” I did not recognize the voice for the intense anger I was in. Abu Mas`ud added: As he came near me, I found that he was the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) who was saying, “Abu Mas`ud! Bear in mind that Allah has more dominance upon you than you have upon your slave.” Then I said: “I will never beat any slave in future.”

Another narration is: The whip dropped from my hand in awe of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam).

Still another narration is: I said: “He is free for the sake of Allah.” He (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “If you had not done this, you would have been singed by the Fire.”
[Muslim].

1605.  Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “The expiation for beating or slapping a slave on the face for something he has not done is to set him free.”
[Muslim].

1606. It has been narrated that Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam (May Allah be pleased with them) happened to pass by some (non-Arab) farmers of Syria who had been made to stand in the sun, and olive oil was poured on their heads. He said: “What is the matter?” He was told that they had been detained for the non-payment of Jizyah. (Another narration says that they were being tortured for not having paid Al-Kharaj). Thereupon Hisham said: “I bear testimony to the fact that I heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saying, `Allah will torment those who torment people in the world.”’ Then he proceeded towards their Amir and reported this Hadith to him. The Amir then issued orders for their release.
[Muslim].

1607. Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saw an ass which had been branded on the face. He disapproved of it. Upon this Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said, “By Allah, I shall not brand (the animal) but on a part at a distance from the face.” Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) then commanded branding on the hips; he was the first person to brand the animals on hips.
[Muslim].

1608. Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: An ass with a brand on the face happened to pass before the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam). Thereupon he said, “May Allah curse the one who has branded it (on the face).”
[Muslim].

Another narration in Muslim is: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) prohibited us from hitting across the face and branding on the face (of an animal).”

Imam Al-Nawawi’s Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 273
Prohibition of Despising Muslims

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group; it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor let (some) women scoff at other women; it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it to insult one’s brother after having Faith [i.e., to call your Muslim brother (a faithful believer) as: `O sinner’, or `O wicked’]. And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Zalimun (wrongdoers).” (49:11)

“Woe to every slanderer and backbiter.” (105:1)

1574. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “It is enough evil for a Muslim to look down upon his (Muslim) brother.”
[Muslim].

1575. Ibn Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “The haughty, even with pride equal to a mustard seed in his heart, will not enter Jannah.” A man enquired: “What about that a person likes fine dress and fine shoes?” He said: “Allah is Beautiful and likes beauty. Pride amounts to disclaiming truth out of self-esteem, and despising people                                                                                               .”
[Muslim].

1576. Jundub bin `Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Once someone said: `By Allah! Allah will not forgive such and such (a person).’ Thereupon Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, said: `Who is he who takes an oath in My Name that I will not grant pardon to so-and-so? I have granted pardon to so-and-so and rendered your good deeds fruitless.”’
[Muslim].

Imam Al-Nawawi’s Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 276
Prohibition of Deceiving others

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear on themselves the crime of slander and plain sin.” (33:58)

1579. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “He who takes up arms against us is none of us; and he who cheats us is none of us.”
[Muslim].

 Another narration of Muslim is: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) happened to pass by a heap of corn. He thrust his hand in that (heap) and his fingers felt wetness. He said to the owner of that heap of corn, “What is this?” He replied: “O Messenger of Allah! These have been drenched by rainfall.” He remarked, “Why did you not place this (the drenched part of the heap) over the corn so that people might see it? He who deceives is not of us.”

1580.  Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Do not practise Najsh (to cheat).”
[Muslim].

1581. Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) prohibited the practice of Najsh.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1582. Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: A man mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) that he was often deceived in dealings. The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said to him, “When you enter into a transaction you should say: “There should be no deception.”’
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1583. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “He who deceives another’s wife or his slave is none of us.”
[Abu Dawud].

Imam Al-Nawawi’s Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 271
Prohibition of Spying on Muslims and to be Inquisitive about Others

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And spy not.” (49:12)

“And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear on themselves the crime of slander and plain sin.” (33:58)

1570. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales. Do not look for other’s faults. Do not spy one another, and do not practise Najsh (means to offer a high price for something in order to allure another customer who is interested in the thing). Do not be jealous of one another and do not nurse enmity against one another. Do not sever ties with one another. Become the slaves of Allah, and be brothers to one another as He commanded. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He should neither oppress him nor humiliate him. The piety is here! The piety is here!” While saying so he pointed towards his chest. “It is enough evil for a Muslim to look down upon his Muslim brother. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his brother in Faith: his blood, his wealth and his honour. Verily, Allah does not look to your bodies nor to your faces but He looks to your hearts and your deeds.”

Another narration is: “Do not feel envy against one another; do not nurse enmity; do not spy on one another and do not cheat one another. Be Allah’s slaves, brethren to one another.”

Another narration is: “Do not have estranged relations with one another. Do not nurse enmity and do not feel envy against one another. O Allah’s worshippers! Be brothers!”

Another narration is: “Do not estrange mutual relations and do not intervene into the transaction which is likely to be settled with another person.”
[Muslim].

1571. Muawiyah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saying, “If you find faults with Muslims, you will corrupt them.”
[Abu Dawud].

1572. It has been reported that a man was brought before Abdullah bin Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) because his beard was giving out smell of wine. Ibn Mas`ud said: “We have been prohibited from spying (on Muslims) and finding faults (with them). But we can take to task only and only if the sin is overt.
[Abu Dawud].