Faith

t 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 shall ask him a
bout what is talked about Taqdir (Division Decree). Accidentally we came across Abdullah 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 (Abdullah ibn Umar) said: When
you happen to meet such people tell 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).
Abdullah 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 recognized 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 perform 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: Inform
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: Tell me some of its indications. He (the Holy Prophet) said: That the slave-girl will
give birth to her mistress and master, that you will find barefooted, destitute goat-herds
vying with one another in the construction 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.

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The Characteristics of a Hypocrite

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr:

The Prophet said, "Whoever has the following four (characteristics)
will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four
characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and
until he gives it up.

1. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays.

2. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.

3. Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous.

4. Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and
insulting manner."

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Avoid Harming Others (2)

Narrated Abu Musa:

Some people asked Allah's Apostle, "Whose Islam is the best? i.e. (Who
is a very good Muslim)?" He replied, "One who avoids harming the
Muslims with his tongue and hands."

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Avoid Harming Others

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr:

The Prophet said, "A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims with
his tongue and hands. And a Muhajir (emigrant) is the one who gives up
(abandons) all what Allah has forbidden."

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Haya is a part of faith

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, "Faith (Belief) consists of more than sixty branches
(i.e. parts). And Haya (This term "Haya" covers a large number of
concepts which are to be taken together; amongst them are self
respect, modesty, bashfulness, and scruple, etc.) is a part of
faith."

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Principles of Islam

Narrated Ibn 'Umar:

Allah's Apostle said: Islam is based on (the following) five
(principles):

1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and
Muhammad is Allah's Apostle.

2. To offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and
perfectly.

3. To pay Zakat (i.e. obligatory charity) .

4. To perform Hajj. (i.e. Pilgrimage to Mecca)

5. To observe fast during the month of Ramadan.

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The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions

Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab:

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he

has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman

to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for."

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