Chapter 03- Zuhd (Abstinence) and Piety

1511. An-Nu’man bin Bashir (MA) narrated, 'I heard Allah's Messenger   saying, (Nu’man pointed with his two fingers to his ears) 'Both lawful (Halal) and unlawful things (Haram) are evident but in between them there are doubtful things (455) and most people have no knowledge about them, So he, who saves himself from these doubtful things, saves his religion and his honor (i.e. keeps them blameless). And he who indulges in these doubtful things is like a shepherd who pastures (his animals) near the Hima (private pasture) of someone else and at any moment he is liable to get in it. (0 people!) Beware! Every king has a Hima and the Hima of Allah on the earth is what He declared unlawful (Haram). Beware! In the body there is a piece of flesh if it becomes sound and healthy, the whole body becomes sound and healthy but if it gets spoilt, the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart," Agreed upon.

455.  Doubtful here means that it is not clear whether they are definitely Halal or Haram.







1512. Abu Hurairah   narrated that the Messenger of Allah   said, "Cursed is he, who is the slave of the Dinar, the slave of the Dirham, and the slave of the cloak bordered with silk. If  he is given anything he would be satisfied, but if he is not given anything he is displeased." Related by Al-Bukhari.








1513. Ibn Umar   narrated, 'Allah’s Messenger    took hold of my shoulders and said, "Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a passerby." Ibn Umar   used to say, "If you are alive in the evening, do not expect to be alive till the morning and if you are alive in the morning do not expect to be alive till the evening, and take from your health for your sickness, and from your life for your death." (456) Related by Al-Bukhari.

456. He means that you should make good use of the time when you are healthy as there will be a time when you are sick and you will not be able to do much and the same goes for the time when you are alive to benefit you when you are dead.  









1514. Ibn Umar    narrated that the Messenger of Allah  said, "He who imitates any people (in their actions) is considered to be one of them.” (457) Related by Abu Dawud and Ibn Hibban graded it as Sahih.

457.The Hadith is referring to imitating the disbelievers and those, who are disobedient in their actions, which go against the laws of Islam, and not simply imitating them, but actually loving these acts.








1515. Ibn 'Abbas   narrated, 'One day I was riding behind the Prophet   when he said, "O lad, be mindful of Allah and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you shall find Him with you. When you ask (for anything), ask it from Allah, and if you seek help, seek help from Allah." Related by At-Tirmidhi who verified it as Hasan and Sahih.








1516. Sahl bin Sad   narrated, 'A man came to the Prophet   and said, "O Allah's Messenger, direct me to a deed which if I do it, I shall be loved by Allah and by people."He  replied, "If you practice abstinence in this world, Allah will love you, and if you abstain from (desiring) what people have, they will love you." Related by Ibn Majah and others with a good chain of narrators.








1517. Sad bin Abi Waqqas  narrated, 'I heard Allah's Messenger   saying, "Allah love the pious rich man(458) who is inconspicuous (free from showing off or hypocrisy)." Related by Muslim.

458.Scholars said that 'rich' here does not necessarily mean material wealth, but rich at heart.







1518. Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Messenger of Allah   said, "A sign of man's good observance of Islam (his piety) is to keep away from the that which does not concern him."Related by At-Tirmidhi who graded it as Hadith Hasan.









1519. Al-Miqdam bin Ma’diakrib   narrated that Allah's Messenger   said, "A human being has never filled any vessel which is worse than his own belly." Related by At-Tirmidhi, who graded it to be Hasan.







1520. Anas   narrated that Allah's Messenger  said, "All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent often." Related by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah with a strong chain of narrators.






1521. Anas   narrated that Allah's Messenger  said, "Keeping silent is considered as (an act of) wisdom, but very few practice it." Related by Al-Baihaqi in his book 'Shuab' al-Iman' with a weak chain of narrators. The sound view is that it is traced back to one of the companions who quoted it from Luqman AI-Hakim.