Steadfastness of the Believer
Presented herein under are some selections of Ahadith taken from a forthcoming book, entitled Miftah al-Ma`ani,by Syed Iqbal Zaheer.
1. When `Umar died the news was given to `A’isha (ra). She said, “May Allah show mercy to `Umar. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah did not say, ‘Allah punishes a believer for the mourning of his folks (beating their chests) for him.’ Rather he said, ‘An unbeliever’s chastisement is multiplied because of the mourning of his folks.’ Enough for you is the Qur’an. It says (6: 164), ‘No carrier of a burden will carry the burden of another’”
– Bukhari
2. Bara’ b. `Azib narrated from the Prophet: “When a believer is made to sit up, they (angels) come to him, he bears witness, ‘There is no deity except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’ This is in keeping with Allah’s words (14: 27), ‘Allah firms up those who believed with a firm Word …’”
– Bukhari
3. Anas b. Malik reported that the Prophet said, “When a man is placed in his grave, his companions leave him – and he hears their receding footsteps – two angels come to him and say, ‘What have you to say about this man, Muhammad?’ As for a believer, he answers, ‘A slave of Allah and His Messenger.’ He is told, ‘Look at your place in the fire. Allah has interchanged it with Paradise.’ He will see both of them. [Qatadah added, ‘It was narrated to us that his grave is expanded on every side].
As for the hypocrite and unbeliever, they will be asked, ‘What was your opinion about this man.’ He will answer, ‘I have no idea. I used to repeat what the people said.’ He will be told, ‘Neither did you know, nor did you understand.’ Then he will be struck with an iron hammer, a strike that will evince a cry that everyone around hears, but men and Jinn.
– Bukhari
4. Abu Musa reported the Prophet as saying, “A believer to another believer is like a wall. Some of it strengthens others.” Then he pressed fingers of one hand into the other.
– Bukhari
5. `Ata’ b. abi Rabah said, “I visited `A’isha along with `Ubayd b. `Umayr. He asked her about Hijrah. She answered, ‘Hijrah is no more. (There was a time when) one of the believers had to flee with his religion to Allah and His Messenger, fearing persecution. But today Allah has given ascendancy to Islam, so that a believer can worship his Lord, wherever he may be. However, Jihad, and intention remain.
– Bukhari
6. Abu Musa recorded the Prophet as having said, “A believer who reads the Qur’an and lives by it is like a citrus fruit whose taste is good and whose smell is good. A believer who does not read the Qur’an, but lives by it, is like a date: it tastes good but has no smell. A hypocrite who reads the Qur’an is like a basil tree whose smell is good but whose taste is bitter. And a hypocrite who does not read the Qur’an is like the colocynth plant which tastes foul and whose smell is foul.
– Bukhari
7. Abu Hurayrah reported the Prophet: “Indeed, Allah is Jealous. Allah’s jealousy is that a believer should come up what Allah has prohibited.”
– Bukhari
