An-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith (02): The levels of religion: Islam, Iman, and Ihsan

Dear readers may Allah pour mercy upon you all, this is about the levels of religion: Islam, Iman, and Ihsan. This is the translation of Tuhfatu As-Saniyah fi Al-Arbain An-Nawawiah, written by Sheikh Khalid Mahmud Al-Juhani hafizahullah.

مَرَاتِبُ الدِّينِ: الإِسْلَامُ، وَالإِيمَانُ، وَالإِحْسَانُ

The levels of religion: Islam, Iman, and Ihsan

عَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَيْضًا قَالَ:

عَنْ (Narrated by) | عُمَرَ (Umar) | رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ (may Allah be pleased with him) | أَيْضًا (also) | قَالَ (said):

Narrated also by Umar – May Allah be pleased with him – who said:

بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ جُلُوسٌ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ،

While we were sitting with the Messenger of Alllah – peace be upon him – one day;

إذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ شَدِيدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ، شَدِيدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعْرِ،

a man appeared before us with very white clothes and very black hair.

لَا يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ، وَلَا يَعْرِفُهُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ.

There were no signs of travel on him, and none of us knew him.

حَتَّى جَلَسَ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و سلم . فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ، وَقَالَ:

Until he sat down to the Prophet (peace be upon him). He rested his knees to his knees, and he placed his hands on his thighs, and said:

يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ الْإِسْلَامِ.

يَا (O) | مُحَمَّدُ (Muhammad) | أَخْبِرْنِي (tell me) | عَنْ (about) | الْإِسْلَامِ (Islam).

O Muhammad! Tell me about Al-Islam.

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم

فَقَالَ (He said) | رَسُولُ (the Messenger) | اللَّهِ (of Allah) | صلى الله عليه و سلم (peace be upon him):

The Messenger of Allah – peace be upon him – said:

الْإِسْلَامُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ

Islam is to testify[1] that there is no god but Allah[2] and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.[3]

وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إنْ اسْتَطَعْت إلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا.

And to establish the prayer[4], and to give the zakat[5], and to fast during Ramadan[6], and to perform Hajj to the House,[7] if you are able to the way.

قَالَ: صَدَقْت. فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ يَسْأَلُهُ وَيُصَدِّقُهُ!

He said: 'You have spoken the truth.' So we were amazed at him asking him and confirming his answer!

قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ الْإِيمَانِ. قَالَ: أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاَللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ، وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ

He said: 'So inform me about faith.' He said: 'To believe[8] in Allah[9], and His angels[10], and His books, and His messengers[11], and the Last Day[12], and to believe in the divine decree, its good and its evil.’[13]

قَالَ: صَدَقْت. قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ الْإِحْسَانِ

He said: 'You have spoken the truth.' He said: 'So inform me about excellence.’

قَالَ: أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّك تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاك

He said: 'To worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, indeed He sees you.'[14]

قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ السَّاعَةِ.

قَالَ (He said): | فَأَخْبِرْنِي (So tell me) | عَنْ (about) | السَّاعَةِ (the Hour)

He said: So tell me about the Hour.[15]

قَالَ: مَا الْمَسْئُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنْ السَّائِلِ

He said: ‘The one being asked is not more knowledgeable about it than the one who is asking.

قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَمَارَاتِهَا؟

قَالَ (He said): | فَأَخْبِرْنِي (So inform me) | عَنْ (about) | أَمَارَاتِهَا (its signs).

He said: 'So inform me about its signs.'

قَالَ: أَنْ تَلِدَ الْأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا،

قَالَ (He said): | أَنْ (that) | تَلِدَ (gives birth) | الْأَمَةُ (the slave girl) | رَبَّتَهَا (to her master),

He said: 'That the slave woman will give birth to her master,'[16]

وَأَنْ تَرَى الْحُفَاةَ الْعُرَاةَ الْعَالَةَ رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُونَ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ

And that you see the barefoot, the naked, the poor, shepherds of sheep competing in building.

ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ، فَلَبِثْتُ مَلِيًّا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا عُمَرُ أَتَدْرِي مَنْ السَّائِلُ؟

Then he departed, so I remained for a while. Then he said: 'O Umar, do you know who the questioner was?

قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ: فَإِنَّهُ جِبْرِيلُ أَتَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِينَكُمْ

I said: 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said: 'Indeed he was Jibril who came to you to teach you your religion

LESSONS FROM THE HADITH

يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ عَنِ الْعِلْمِ النَّافِعِ، وَيَتْرُكَ السُّؤَالَ عَمَّا لَا فَائِدَةَ فِيهِ.

1 – A Muslim should ask about beneficial knowledge and avoid asking about what is of no benefit.

مِنْ أَسَالِيبِ التَّعْلِيمِ النَّاجِحَةِ: أُسْلُوبُ السُّؤَالِ وَالْجَوَابِ.

2 – Among the successful teaching methods: the method of question and answer.

أَرْكَانُ الْإِسْلَامِ خَمْسَةٌ: الشَّهَادَتَانِ، وَإِقَامَةُ الصَّلَاةِ، وَإِيتَاءُ الزَّكَاةِ، وَصَوْمُ رَمَضَانَ، وَحَجُّ الْبَيْتِ عَلَى الْمُسْتَطِيعِ

3 – The pillars of Islam are five: the two testimonies (Shahadatain), establishing prayer, giving alms (Zakat), fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage to the house (Kaaba) for those who are able.

أَرْكَانُ الْإِيمَانِ سِتَّةٌ: الْإِيمَانُ بِاللَّهِ، وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ، وَكُتُبِهِ، وَرُسُلِهِ، وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ، وَالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ.

4 – The pillars of faith are six: belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and predestination, its good and its bad.

لَا يَجُوزُ لِلْعَالِمِ أَنْ يُفْتِيَ بِدُونِ عِلْمٍ

5 – It is not permissible for a scholar to give a fatwa without knowledge.

النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لَا يَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ

6 – The Prophet ﷺ does not know the unseen.

تَسْمِيَةُ السُّؤَالِ الْحَسَنِ عِلْمًا وَتَعْلِيمًا

7 – Naming a good question as knowledge and teaching.

الْحَدِيثُ فِيهِ عِلْمٌ مِنْ أَعْلَامِ النُّبُوَّةِ، فَقَدْ أَخْبَرَ بِمَا سَيَحْدُثُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ ﷺ، وَهَذَا مِنَ الْغَيْبِ الَّذِي لَا يُعْلَمُ إِلَّا عَنْ طَرِيقِ الْوَحْيِ

8 – The hadith contains knowledge from the signs of prophethood, as it informs about what will happen after his ﷺ death, and this is from the unseen which is only known through revelation.

مِنْ صُوَرِ الْوَحْيِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي صُورَةِ رَجُلٍ

9 – One of the forms of revelation is that Gabriel (peace be upon him) comes to the Prophet ﷺ in the form of a man.

يَنْبَغِي لِلمُتَعَلِّمِ أَنْ يَتَأَدَّبَ بَيْنَ يَدَي مُعَلِّمِهِ

10 – A learner should be respectful in the presence of their teacher.

إِذَا اجْتَمَعَ الإِسْلَامُ، وَالإِيمَانُ فِي نَصٍّ وَاحِدٍ، كَانَ لِكُلٍّ مِنْهُمَا مَعْنًى مُخْتَلِفٌ عَنِ الآخَرِ، فَيُفَسَّرُ الإِسْلَامُ بِالأَعْمَالِ الظَّاهِرَةِ، وَيُفَسَّرُ الإِيمَانُ بِالأَعْمَالِ البَاطِنَةِ

11 – When Islam and Iman are mentioned together in one text, each has a different meaning from the other; Islam is interpreted by outward actions, and Iman is interpreted by inward actions.

يُكْرَهُ تَطْوِيلُ البِنَاءِ، وَتَشْيِيدُهُ مِمَّا لَا تَدْعُو الحَاجَةُ إِلَيْهِ

12 – It is disliked to prolong construction and build unnecessarily.

مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ انْعِكَاسُ الأُمُورِ بِحَيْثُ يُصْبِحُ المُرِيءُ مَرِيئًا، وَالسَّافِلُ عَالِيًا

13 – One of the signs of the Hour is the reversal of matters, so that what is considered bad becomes good, and the lowly becomes high.

يَنْبَغِي لِلْحُكَّامِ، وَنُوَّابِهِمْ، وَالْعُلَمَاءِ أَلَّا يَحْتَجِبُوا دُونَ حَاجَاتِ النَّاسِ، وَمَصَالِحِهِمْ

14 – It is necessary for rulers, their deputies, and scholars not to seclude themselves from the needs and interests of the people.

مَشْرُوعِيَّةُ تَحْسِينِ الثِّيَابِ، وَالْهَيْئَةِ، وَالنَّظَافَةِ عِنْدَ الدُّخُولِ عَلَى الْعُلَمَاءِ، وَالْفُضَلَاءِ، وَالْمُلُوكِ

15 – The legitimacy of improving clothing, appearance, and cleanliness when entering upon scholars, virtuous people, and kings. Wallahua’lam

Karangasem, 20 February 2025

Irfan Nugroho (May Allah make easy his affairs. Aamiin).

EXPLANATION

[1] Testify means:

تَشْهَدُ: أَيْ تُقِرُّ بِقَلْبِكَ، وَتَنْطِقُ بِلِسَانِكَ.

That you acknowledge with your heart and pronounce with your tongue.

[2] There is no god but Allah means:

أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ: أَيْ لاَ مَعْبُودَ بِحَقٍّ سِوَى اللهِ

That there is no god but Allah: Meaning there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.

[3] Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah means:

أَنْ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ: مُقْتَضَى شَهَادَةِ أَنْ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ تَصْدِيقُهُ فِيمَا أَخْبَرَ، وَطَاعَتُهُ فِيمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ، وَالِانْتِهَاءُ عَمَّا نَهَى عَنْهُ، وَزَجَرَ.

That Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah: The implication of the testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah is to believe in what he has informed, obey him in what he has commanded, and refrain from what he has forbidden and rebuked.

[4] Establish the prayer means:

تُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ: أَيِ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ، وَهِيَ الْعِبَادَةُ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى بِأَفْعَالٍ مَخْصُوصَةٍ مُفْتَتَحَةٍ بِالتَّكْبِيرِ، وَمُخْتَتَمَةٍ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ.

Establish the prayer: That is, the obligatory prayer, which is the worship of Allah Almighty with specific actions, beginning with the Takbir and ending with the Taslim.

[5] Give the zakat means:

تُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ: أَيِ الْمَفْرُوضَةَ لِمُسْتَحِقِّيهَا، وَهِيَ مَالٌ مَخْصُوصٌ يُؤْخَذُ مِنْ طَائِفَةٍ مَخْصُوصَةٍ، وَيُرَدُّ إِلَى طَائِفَةٍ مَخْصُوصَةٍ.

Give the Zakat: That is, the obligatory charity to those who deserve it, which is a specific amount of wealth taken from a specific group and given to a specific group.

[6] Fast during Ramadan means:

تَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ: أَيِ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ، وَهُوَ الْإِمْسَاكُ عَنِ الْمُفْطِرَاتِ مِنْ طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ الصَّادِقِ إِلَى غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ بِنِيَّةٍ.

Fast during Ramadan: That is, the month of Ramadan, which is abstaining from things that break the fast from the true dawn until sunset with the intention.

[7] Perform Hajj to the House means:

تَحُجُّ الْبَيْتَ: أَيِ تَقْصِدُهُ لِأَدَاءِ النُّسُكِ عَلَى مَا جَاءَ فِي سُنَّةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.

Perform the Hajj to the House: That is, intending to perform the rituals according to what came in the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

[8] To believe means:

أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ: أَيْ تَقِرَّ وَتُصَدِّقَ.

To believe: that is, to affirm and to believe.

[9] To believe in Allah means:

بِاللهِ: أَيْ التَّصْدِيقِ وَالإِقْرَارِ بِأَنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ مَوْجُودٌ مَوْصُوفٌ بِصِفَاتِ الْجَلاَلِ وَالْكَمَالِ، مُنَزَّهٌ عَنْ صِفَاتِ النَّقْصِ، وَأَنَّهُ وَاحِدٌ حَقٌّ صَمَدٌ فَرْدٌ، خَالِقُ جَمِيعِ الْمَخْلُوقَاتِ، مُتَصَرِّفٌ فِيمَا يَشَاءُ يَفْعَلُ فِي مُلْكِهِ مَا يُرِيدُ.

Believe In Allah: that is, to believe and acknowledge that He, Glory be to Him, exists and is described with attributes of majesty and perfection, free from attributes of deficiency, and that He is One, the Absolute, the Unique, the Creator of all creatures, who acts as He wills and does whatever He wants in His dominion.

[10] Believe in His Angels means:

وملائكتَهُ: أَيْ التَّصْدِيقُ، وَالإِقْرَارُ بِأَنَّهُمْ عِبَادٌ مُكْرَمُونَ لاَ يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ، وَهُمْ بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ.

Believe in His angels: Meaning belief and acknowledgment that they are honored servants who do not precede Him in speech, and they act by His command.

[11] Believe in His messengers means:

وَرُسُلِهِ: أَيْ التَّصْدِيقُ، وَالإِقْرَارُ بِأَنَّهُمْ صَادِقُونَ فِيمَا أَخْبَرُوا بِهِ عَنْ اللهِ تَعَالَى، أَيَّدَهُمُ اللهُ بِالْمُعْجِزَاتِ الدَّالَّةِ عَلَى صِدْقِهِمْ، وَأَمَرَ بِأَنْ يُبَلِّغُوا عَنْ اللهِ رِسَالاَتِهِ، وَبَيَّنُوا لِلْمُكَلَّفِينَ مَا أَمَرَهُمُ اللهُ بِهِ، وَأَنَّهُ يَجِبُ احْتِرَامُهُمْ، وَأَنْ لاَ يُفَرَّقَ فِي الإِيمَانِ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ.

Believe in His messengers: Meaning belief and acknowledgment that they are truthful in what they conveyed about Allah, supported by Allah with miracles indicating their truthfulness, and commanded to convey Allah's messages, and clarified to the responsible ones what Allah commanded them, and that they must be respected, and that there should be no distinction in faith between any of them.

[12] Believe in the Last Day means:

واليوم الآخر: هُوَ التَّصْدِيقُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَمَا اشْتَمَلَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْإِعَادَةِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَالْحَشْرِ، وَالنَّشْرِ، وَالْحِسَابِ، وَالْمِيزَانِ، وَالصِّرَاطِ، وَالْجَنَّةِ، وَالنَّارِ، وَأَنَّهَا دَارُ ثَوَابٍ، وَجَزَاؤُهُ لِلْمُحْسِنِينَ وَالْمُسِيئِينَ إِلَى غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا صَحَّ مِنَ النُّصُوصِ الشَّرْعِيَّةِ.

Believe in the Last Day: It is the belief in the Day of Resurrection, and what it includes of the resurrection after death, the gathering, the spreading, the reckoning, the scale, the path, Paradise, and Hell, and that they are the abode of reward, and His recompense for the good-doers and the evil-doers, and other than that from what has been authenticated from the legal texts.

[13] Believe in the devine decree, its good and its evil means:

وتؤمن بالقدر خيره وشره: أَي بِأَنَّ اللهَ عَلِمَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، وَقَدَّرَهُ، وَكَتَبَهُ فِي اللَّوْحِ الْمَحْفُوظِ، وَلاَ يَحْدُثُ شَيْءٌ إِلاَّ بِقَدَرِ اللهِ، وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللهُ شَيْئًا قَالَ لَهُ: كُنْ، فَيَكُونُ.

And believe in the divine decree, its good and its evil: That is, that Allah knows everything, and has decreed it, and has written it in the Preserved Tablet, and nothing happens except by the decree of Allah, and if Allah wills something, He says to it: Be, and it is.

[14] If you do not see Him, He sees you means:

فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ: أَيْ إِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ مُرَاقَبَةَ اللهِ فِي الْعِبَادَةِ وَهِيَ أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَاسْتَشْعِرْ رُؤْيَةَ اللهِ لَكَ.

If you do not see Him, He sees you: Meaning, if you cannot observe Allah in worship, which is to worship Allah as if you see Him, then feel the presence of Allah watching you.

[15] Tell me about the Hour means:

فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ: أَيْ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ وَقْتِ مَجِيءِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَالْمُرَادُ بِالسَّاعَةِ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَسُمِّيَتْ بِالسَّاعَةِ؛ لِأَنَّهَا تَأْتِي بَغْتَةً كَالسَّاعَةِ، وَقِيلَ: لِأَنَّهَا تَأْتِي فِي آخِرِ سَاعَةٍ فِي الدُّنْيَا.

Tell me about the Hour: Meaning, tell me about the time of the coming of the Day of Judgment. The intended meaning of the Hour is the Day of Judgment, and it is called the Hour because it comes suddenly like an hour, and it is said: because it comes in the last hour of the world.

[16] The slave woman will give birth to her master means:

أَنْ تَلِدَ الأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا: أَيْ سَيِّدَتَهَا، قِيلَ: هُوَ كِنَايَةٌ عَنْ كَثْرَةِ العُقُوقِ، فَيُعَامِلُ الوَلَدُ أُمَّهُ مُعَامَلَةَ السَّيِّدِ أَمَتَهُ مِنَ الإِهَانَةِ بِالسَّبِّ، وَالضَّرْبِ، وَالاِسْتِخْدَامِ.

That the slave woman will give birth to her master: meaning her lady, it is said: it is a metaphor for the abundance of disobedience, so the child treats his mother as a master treats his slave woman with insult, beating, and exploitation.