Imam Muslim Bin Hajjaj - Sahih Muslim: in The English Language

BOOK 1: THE BOOK OF FAITH (KITAB AL-IMAN) SAHIH MUSLIM Chapter 1: Book 001, Number 0001: SAHIH MUSLIM It is narrated on the authority of Yahya b. Ya'mur that the first man who discussed about Qadr (Divine Decree) in Basra was Ma'bad al-Juhani. I along with Humaid b. 'Abdur-Rahman Himyari set out for prilgrimage or for 'Umrah and said: Should it so happen that we come into contact with one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) we shal ask him a bout what is talked about Taqdir (Division Decree). Accidental y we came across Abdul ah ibn Umar ibn al Khattab, while he was entering the mosque. My companion and I surrounded him.

One of us (stood) on his right and the other stood on his left. I expected that my companion would authorize me to speak. I therefore said: Abu Abdur Rahman! there have appeared some people in our land who recite the Holy Qur'an and pursue knowledge. And then after talking about their affairs, added: They (such people) claim that there is no such thing as Divine Decree and events are not predestined. He (Ab dul ah ibn Umar) said: When you happen to meet such people tel them that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me. And verily they are in no way responsible for my (belief).

Abdul ah ibn Umar swore by Him (the Lord) (and said): If any one of them (who does not believe in the Divine Decree) had with him gold equal to the bulk of (the mountain) Uhud and then, it (in the way of Allah), Allah would not accept it unless he affirmed his faith in Divine Decree. He further said: My father, Umar ibn al-Khattab, told me: One day we were sitting in the company of Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) when there appeared before us a man dressed in pure white clothes, his hair extraordinarily black. There were no signs of travel on him. None amongst us reco gnized him. At last he sat with the Apostle (peace be upon him) He knelt before him placed his palms on his thighs and said: Muhammad, inform me about al-Islam. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Al-Islam implies that you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and you establish prayer, pay Zakat, observe the fast of Ramadan, and per form pilgrimage to the (House) if you are solvent enough (to bear the expense of) the journey.

He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He (Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: It amazed us that he would put the question and then he would himself verify the truth. He (the inquirer) said: Inform me about Iman (faith). He (the Holy Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Apostles, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He (the inquirer) again said: In form me about al-Ihsan (performance of good deeds).

He (the Holy Prophet) said: That you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though you don't see Him, He, verily, sees you. He (the enquirer) again said: Inform me about the hour (of the Doom). He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: One who is asked knows no more than the one who is inquiring (about it). He (the inquirer) said: Tel me some of its indications. He (the Holy Prophet) said: That the slave-girl wil give birth to her mistress and master, that you wil find barefooted, destitute goat-herds vying with one another in the constructi 60 / 1800 SAHIH MUSLIM BOOK 1: THE BOOK OF FAITH (KITAB AL-IMAN) on of magnificent buildings. He (the narrator, Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: Then he (the inquirer) went on his way but I stayed with him (the Holy Prophet) for a long while.

He then, said to me: Umar, do you know who this inquirer was? I replied: Allah and His Apostle knows best. He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: He was Gabriel (the angel). He came to you in order to instruct you in matters of religion. Book 001, Number 0002: It is narrated on the authority of Yahya b. Ya'mur that when Ma'bad discussed the problem pertai ning to Divine Decree, we refuted that. He (the narrator) said: I and Humaid b.

Abdur-Rahman Hi myari argued. And they carried on the conversation about the purport of the hadith related by Kah mas and its chain of transmission too, and there is some variation of words. Book 001, Number 0003: It is narrated on the authority of Yahya b. Ya'mur and Humaid b. 'Abdur-Rahman that they said: We met Abdul ah b. 'Umar and we discussed about the Divine Decree, and what they talked about it and he narrated the hadith that has been transmitted by 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Apostle (may peace be upon him).

There is a slight variation in that. Chapter 2: What is iman and what are its Characteri stics Book 001, Number 0004: Abu Huraira reported: One day the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) appeared before the public that a man came to him and said: Prophet of Allah, (tel me) what is Iman. Upon this he (the Holy Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, His angels, His Books, His meeting, His Messengers and that you affirm your faith in the Resurrection hereafter. He (again) said: Mes senger of Allah, (tel me) what does al-Islam signify. He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Al-Islam signifies that you worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him and you establish obligatory prayer and you pay the obligatory poor-rate (Zakat) and you observe the fast of Ramadan. He (the inquirer) again said: Messenger of Allah, what does al-Ihsan imply? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: That you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, and in case you fail to see Him, then observe prayer (with this idea in your mind) that (at least) He is seeing you.

He (the inquirer ) again said: Messenger of Al lah, when would there be the hour (of Doom)? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: The one who is asked about it is no better informed than the inquirer. I, however, narrate some of its signs (and these are): when the slave-girl wil give birth to he master, when the naked, barefooted would become the chiefs of the people - these are some of the signs of (Doom). (Moreover) when the shepherds of the 61 / 1800 SAHIH MUSLIM BOOK 1: THE BOOK OF FAITH (KITAB AL-IMAN) black (camels) would exult themselves in buildings, this is one of the signs of (Doom). (Doom) is one of the five (happenings wrapped in the unseen) which no one knows but Allah. Then he (the Mes senger of Allah) recited (the verse):" Verily Allah! with Him alone is the knowledge of the hour and He it is Who sends (down the rain) and knows that which is in the wombs and no person knows whatsoever he shal earn tomorrow, and a person knows not in whatsoever land he shal die. Verily Allah is Knowing, Aware.

He (the narrator, Abu Huraira) said: Then the person turned back and went away. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Bring that man back to me. They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet present there) went to bring him back, but they saw nothing there. Upon this the Messenger of Allah remarked: he was Gabriel, who came to teach the people their religion. Book 001, Number 0005: This hadith is narrated to us on the authority of Muhammad b. 'Abdul ah b.

Numair, on the autho rity of Muhammad b. Bishr, on the authority of Abd Hayyan al-Taymi with the exception that in this narration (instead of the words (Iza Waladat al'amah rabbaha), the words are (Iza Waladat al'amah Ba'laha), i, e, when slave-girl gives birth to her master. Book 001, Number 0006: It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Ask me (about matters pertaining to religion), but they (the Companions of the Holy Pro phet) were too much overawed out of profound respect for him to ask him (anything). In the mean while a man came there, and sat near his knees and said: Messenger of Allah, what al-lslam is? -to which he (the Holy Prophet) replied: You must not associate anything with Allah, and establish pray er, pay the poor-rate (Zakat) and observe (the fasts) of Ramadan. He said: You (have) told the truth. He (again) said: Messenger of Allah, what al-Iman (the faith) is? He (the Holy Prophet) said: That you affirm your faith in Allah, His angels, His Books, His meeting, His Apostles, and that you believe in Resurrection and that you believe in Qadr (Divine Decree) in al its entirety, He (the inquirer) said: You (have) told the truth.