Abu Khizama said that his father asked God’s messenger, “Tell me whether invocations we invoke, medicine we apply and caution we practise can avert anything God has decreed.” He replied, “They are a part of God’s decree ’ Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

God’s messenger came out to us when we were arguing about God’s decree. He was angry and his face became so red that it looked as if pomegranate seeds had been burst open on his cheeks. He then said, “Is this what you were commanded to do, or was it for this purpose that I was sent to you? Your predecessors perished only when they argued about this matter. I adjure you, I adjure you, not to argue about it.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted something similar from ‘Amr b. Shu'aib from his father from his grandfather.

Abu Musa reported that he heard God’s messenger say, “God created Adam from a handful which he took from the whole of the earth; so the children of Adam are in accordance with the earth, some red, some white, some black, some a mixture, also smooth and rough, bad and good.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported that he heard God’s messenger say, “God created His creatures in darkness and cast some of His light upon them. Those on whom some of that light falls will have guidance, but those who are missed by it will go astray. On that account I say that the pen has no more to write about God’s knowledge.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas reported that God’s messenger often said, “O Thou who turnest the hearts about, establish my heart in Thy religion.” Anas said, “Prophet of God, do you fear for us who believe in you and in your message?” He replied, “Yes. The hearts are between two of God’s fingers and He turns them about as He wills.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Musa reported that God’s messenger said, “The heart is like a feather in desert country which the winds keep turning over and over.” Ahmad transmitted it.

he must testify that there is no god but God and that I am God’s messenger whom He sent with the truth ; he must believe in death and in the resurrection after death; and he must believe in the divine decree." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported that God’s messenger said, “There are two classes among my people who have no portion in Islam, the Murji’a and the Qadariya." Tirmidhi transmitted it and said this is a gharib tradition.

I heard God’s messenger say, “Some of my people will be swallowed up and some will be metamorphosed. That will come about among those who declare God’s decree to be false." Abu Dawud transmitted it and Tirmidhi transmitted something similar.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “The Qadariya are the Magians of this people. If they are ill, do not visit them, and if they die, do not attend their funerals." Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “Do not sit with those who believe in freewill and do not address them before they address you." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He who makes additions to God’s Book, he who declares God’s decree to be false, he who rules proudly to exalt him whom God has humbled and humble him whom God has exalted, he who profanes God’s sacred area, he who considers he may do to my family what God has declared forbidden, and he who abandons my sunna.” Baihaqi transmitted it in the introduction and Razin in his book.

Matar b. ‘Ukamis reported God’s messenger as saying, “When God decrees that someone should die in a certain land, He gives him a reason for going there." Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

I asked, “Messenger of God, what happens to the offspring of believers?’’ He replied, “They are joined to their parents." I asked, “Although they have done nothing, messenger of God” lie replied, “God knows best what they were doing.” I asked, “What happens to the offspring of polytheists?” He replied, “They are joined to their parents.” I asked, “Although they have done nothing?” He replied, “God knows best what they were doing.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “The one who buries her daughter alive and the one who is buried alive go to hell.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

his period of life, his action, his lying down, his moving about, and his provision.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that she heard God’s messenger say, “He who discusses any aspect of God’s decree will be questioned about it on the day of resurrection, but he who does not discuss it will not be questioned about it.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

I went to Ubayy b. Ka‘b and said to him, “I am confused about the divine decree, so tell me something by means of which God may remove the confusion from my mind.” He replied, “Were God to punish everyone in the heavens and the earth He would do so without being unjust to them, and were He to show mercy to them His mercy would be much better than their actions merited. Were you to spend in support of God’s cause an amount of gold equivalent to Uhud, God would not accept it from you till you believed in the divine decree and knew that what has come to you could not miss you and that what has missed you could not come to you. Were you to die believing anything else you would enter hell.” He said: I then went to ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Hudhaifa b. al-Yaman and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Zaid b. Thabit and he told me something from the Prophet to the same effect. Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Nafi' told how a man came to Ibn ‘Umar with a message that so and so sent him a greeting. He replied that he had heard he had introduced an innovation and that if that were so, he was not to convey his greeting to him, for he had heard God’s messenger say, “Among my people,” or “among this people the believers in freewill will be swallowed up and metamorphosed or pelted.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

‘Ali said that Khadija asked the Prophet about two children of hers who had died in the pre-Islamic period and God’s messenger replied, “They are in hell.” Then when he saw her look of disapproval he said, “If you saw their position you would hate them.” She asked, “Messenger of God, what about my son whom I had from you?” He replied, “He is in paradise.” Then God’s messenger said, “The believers and their children are in paradise and the polytheists and their children are in hell.” Then God’s messenger recited, “Those who believe and whose offspring have followed them.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When God created Adam He wiped his back and every soul of his offspring He was to create up to the day of resurrection fell from his back. He put on the forehead of everyone of them a flash of light, then presented them to Adam who asked, ‘My Lord, who are these?’ He replied, ‘Your offspring.' On seeing one of them and being charmed by the flash on his forehead he asked, ‘My Lord, who is this?’ He replied, ‘David.’ He asked, ‘My Lord, how long a term of life hast Thou appointed him?” He replied, ‘Sixty years.’ He said, ‘My Lord, give him an extra forty years out of my term of life.’” God’s messenger said, “When Adam’s period of life all but forty years had come to an end the angel of death came to him. Adam said, ‘Are there not forty years of my life remaining?’ He replied, ‘Did you not give them to your son David?' Adam denied it and his offspring denied; Adam forgot and ate of the tree and his offspring forgot; and Adam sinned and his offspring sinned.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abud Darda' reported God’s messenger as saying, “God created Adam when He created him and struck his right shoulder and brought forth his offspring white like small ants. And he struck his left shoulder and brought forth his offspring black as though they were charcoal. Then He said to the party on his right side, ‘To paradise, and I do not care’ and He said to the party in his left shoulder, ‘To hell, and I do not care’.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Nadra told how a companion of the Prophet called Abu ‘Abdallah was visited by his friends who found him weeping. They asked him what made him weep, and whether God’s messenger had not told him to clip some of his moustache and keep it like that till he met him. He replied, “Yes, but I heard God’s messenger say that God took a handful in His right hand and another in His left saying, ‘This is for this, and that is for that, and I do not care;’ and I do not know in which of the two handfuls I am.” Ahmad transmitted it.

God made the covenant from Adam’s back in Na‘man, i.e. ‘Arafa, and brought forth from his loins all his offspring whom He created and scattered before Him like small ants. He then spoke to them face to face saying, “Am I not your Lord?’ They replied, “Yes, we testify this.” [It was] lest you should say on the day of resurrection, “We were neglectful of this,” or should say, “Our fathers were polytheists before us and we were an offspring after them. Wilt Thou destroy us for what the workers of vanity did?” ¹ Ahmad transmitted it. ¹ Quran, vii, 172f.

He gathered them and put them in pairs. Thereafter He fashioned them and endowed them with speech, and they spoke. He then made an agreement and covenant with them, calling them to witness regarding themselves, [saying] “Am I not your Lord?” They replied, “Yes.” He said, “I call the seven heavens and the seven earths to witness regarding you, and I call your father Adam to witness regarding you, lest you should say on the day of resurrection, ‘We did not know of this.’ Know that there is no god other than me and no lord other than me, and do not associate anything with me. I shall send to you my messengers to call to your remembrance my agreement and my covenant, and I shall send down my books to you. They replied, “We testify that Thou art our Lord and our God; we have no other lord and no other god but Thee.” So they confirmed that. Adam was raised above them and looked at them, and seeing the rich and the poor, the beautiful and those not so beautiful, he asked, “My Lord, why didst Thou not make Thy servants equal?” He replied, “I wanted to be thanked.” He also saw among them the prophets like lamps with light in them. They had another -special covenant concerning their mission and prophetic office, viz. His words, “And when we took from the prophets their covenant... Jesus son-of Mary.” ² He was among those spirits and He sent him to Mary. Ubayy is quoted as saying that he entered by her mouth. Ahmad transmitted it. ¹ ibid. ² Quran, xxxiii, 7.

While we were with God’s messenger discussing what would come to pass God’s messenger said, “When you hear that a mountain has moved from its place believe it; but when you hear that a man's nature has changed do not believe it, for he will remain true to his inborn disposition.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Umm Salama said, “Messenger of God, you continue to be afflicted annually with pain from the poisoned sheep you ate.” He replied, “I am afflicted by nothing due to it which was not decreed for me while Adam was still a lump of clay.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

“God establishes those who believe with the word which stands firm” was revealed concerning the punishment in the grave. One will be asked who his Lord is and will reply that his Lord is God and his prophet is Muhammad. (Bukhari and Muslim.) ¹ Quran, xiv, 27.

Fadala b. ‘Ubaid reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Everyone who dies will have fully completed his actions, except one who is on the frontier in God’s path, for his deeds will be made to go on increasing for him till the day of resurrection, and he will be safe from the trial in the grave." Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Darimi transmitted it on the authority of ‘Uqba b. ‘Amir.

Mu'adh b. Jabal told of his hearing God’s Messenger say, “If anyone fights in God’s path as long as the time between two milkings of a she- camel* paradise will be assured for him; if anyone is wounded in God’s path or suffers a misfortune, it will come on the day of resurrection as copious as possible, its colour saffron and its odour musk; and if anyone suffers from ulcers while in God's path, he will have on him the stamp of the martyrs." * This refers particularly to the practice of milking a camel, then leaving it for a little to suckle its young, after which it is milked again. The period between the two milkings therefore indicates a very short time. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Khuraim b. Fatik reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone makes a contribution towards God's path, seven hundred times as much will be recorded to his credit." Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Umama reported God's Messenger as saying, “The best sadaqat are the shade of a large tent in God's path, the gift of a servant in God’s path, or providing in God’s path a she-camel old enough to be covered by a stallion." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “No one who weeps from fear of God will go into hell till the milk returns to the udder, and no servant of God will experience both dust in God’s path and the smoke of jahannam." Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Nasa'i added in another version, “ever in a Muslim’s nostrils." In another by him he added, “ever in the belly of a servant of God; and stinginess and faith will never be combined in the heart of a servant of God."

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God's Messenger as saying, “There are two eyes which will never be touched by hell, an eye which weeps from fear of God and an eye which spends the night on guard in God’s path." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that when one of God’s Messenger’s companion came upon a mountain path containing a small spring of fresh water and was delighted by it, he expressed a desire to withdraw from the people and stay in that path. He mentioned that to God’s Messenger, and he replied, “Do not do it, for when any of you remains in God’s path it is more excellent than prayer in his house during seventy years. Do you not want* God to forgive you and bring you into paradise? Fight* in God's path. He who fights in God's path as long as the time between two milkings of a she-camel will be assured of paradise." *These verbs are in plural. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Uthman reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A day on the frontier in God’s path is better than a thousand days in any other place." Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.

a martyr, a continent man who refrains from what is unlawful, and a slave who worships God well and serves his patrons sincerely." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Hubshi told that the Prophet was asked which deed was most excellent and replied, “Standing long in prayer." He was asked what sadaqa was most excellent and replied, “The effort of one who possesses little.” He was asked what hijra was most excellent and replied, “That of one who forsakes what God has prohibited.” He was asked what jihad was most excellent and replied, “That of one who strives against the polytheists with his property and his person.” He was asked what manner of being killed was most honourable and replied, “That of one whose blood is shed and whose steed is wounded.” Abu Dawud transmitted it Nasa’i’s version says that the Prophet was asked which actions were most excellent and replied, “Faith which contains no doubt, jihad which contains no unfaithfulness regarding spoil, and a pilgrimage which is accepted.” He was asked what prayer was most excellent and replied, “Standing long in devotion.” The two versions agree about the remainder.

he is forgiven at the first shedding of his blood, he is shown his abode in paradise, he is preserved from the punishment in the grave, he is kept safe from the greatest terror2, he has placed on his head the crown of honour a ruby of which is better than the world and what it contains, he is married to seventy-two wives of the maidens with large dark eyes,3 and is made intercessor for seventy of his relatives.” 1. There seem to be seven things mentioned in this tradition. 2. Cf. Al-Qur'an; 21:103. 3. Cf. Al-Qur’an, 56:22. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone meets God with no mark of jihad, he will meet God with a flaw in him.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The martyr experiences no more pain in being killed than one of you experiences from a sting.” Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

Abu Umama reported the Prophet as saying, “Nothing is dearer to God than two drops and two marks, a drop of tears from fear of God and a drop of blood shed in God’s path. Regarding the two marks, they are a mark received in God’s path and one caused by observing one of the ordinances of God most high.”* * This is said to refer to such things as hacks in hands or feet through performing ablution in cold weather, or a mark on the forehead through prostrating oneself on hot ground, or having dust on one’s feet while performing pilgrimage. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Do not sail on the sea except when going to perform the hajj, or the ‘umra, or when fighting in God’s path, for under the sea there is a fire and under the fire there is a sea.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Umm Haram reported the Prophet as saying, “He who becomes sick on a stormy sea will have the reward of a martyr, and he who is drowned will have the reward of two martyrs.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Malik al-Ash‘ari told that he heard God’s Messenger say, “He who goes forth in God’s path and dies, or is killed, or has his neck broken through being thrown by his horse or his camel, or is stung by a poisonous creature, or dies on his bed by any kind of death God wishes is a martyr and will go to paradise.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Returning home is like going on an expedition.”* * This is interpreted as referring to rewards. Returning after an expedition means that an opportunity is given for rest and refreshment before beginning another, so it merits reward similar to that for setting out. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He reported God's Messenger as saying, “The fighter gets his reward, and the one who equips him gets his own reward and that of the fighter.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Ayyub told that he heard the Prophet say, “Capitals will be conquered at your hands and you will have to raise companies in large armies. A man will be unwilling to join a company, so he will escape from his people and go round the tribes offering himself to them, seeking someone whose place he may take in such and such an expedition.* That man is a hireling to the last drop of his blood.” * This is the type of person who dislikes being sent on a warlike expedition, but who is quite willing to take someone else’s place if he is paid for it. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

God’s Messenger announced an expedition, and as I was a very old man who had no servant I sought a hireling who would serve instead of me. I found a man to whom I offered three dinars, and when some booty arrived I wanted to give him his portion, so I went to the Prophet and mentioned the matter to him, but he said, “All I can find for him regarding this expedition of his in this world and the next is the three dinars which were offered him." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that a man said, “Messenger of God, a man wishes to take part in jihad in God’s path desiring some worldly advantage." The Prophet replied, “He will have no reward." Abu Dawud transmitted it.