Hadith 5 Of An-Nawawi’s Collection JSS1 Islamic Studies Lesson Note

Hadith 5 from Imam An-Nawawi’s collection “Forty Hadith” is an important teaching about innovation in religion. This Hadith helps Muslims understand which actions are accepted by Allah and which are rejected. It explains the danger of changing or adding to the religion of Islam without proper evidence. In this lesson, we will learn about this Hadith, understand its meaning, and see how it applies to our daily lives as Muslims.

About Imam An-Nawawi and His Collection

Who was Imam An-Nawawi?

Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Sharaf An-Nawawi was a great Islamic scholar who lived from 1233 to 1277 CE (631-676 AH). He was born in Nawa, Syria, and became one of the most respected scholars in Islamic history. He wrote many important books about Islam, including:

• Riyadh as-Saliheen (Gardens of the Righteous)
• Al-Minhaj (Commentary on Sahih Muslim)
• Al-Adhkar (The Book of Remembrances)
• Al-Arba’in An-Nawawiyyah (Forty Hadith of An-Nawawi)

About the Forty Hadith Collection

The “Forty Hadith” is a famous collection where Imam An-Nawawi selected 42 of the most important Hadith that cover the main teachings of Islam. He chose Hadith that are clear, authentic, and fundamental to understanding Islam. Many scholars, students, and ordinary Muslims have memorized this collection because of its importance.

The Text of the Fifth Hadith

Arabic Text

عَنْ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أُمِّ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ»

وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لِمُسْلِمٍ: «مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلاً لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَدٌّ»

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَمُسْلِمٌ

English Translation

On the authority of the Mother of the Believers, Umm Abdullah ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Whoever introduces into this matter of ours (Islam) something that is not part of it, it will be rejected.”

In another version reported by Muslim: “Whoever does a deed that is not in accordance with our matter (Islam), it will be rejected.”

Reported by Bukhari and Muslim.

The Narrator of the Hadith

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)

This Hadith was narrated by Aisha, the wife of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):

• She was the daughter of Abu Bakr, the first caliph of Islam
• She was one of the most knowledgeable people in Islamic law
• She narrated about 2,210 Hadith from the Prophet
• She was known for her intelligence, memory, and understanding
• She was called “Umm al-Mu’minin” (Mother of the Believers)
• She lived with the Prophet for about 9 years until his death
• She continued to teach Islam for about 48 years after the Prophet passed away
• Many companions would come to her to ask about religious matters

Understanding the Hadith in Detail

Key Terms in the Hadith

To understand this Hadith properly, we need to understand some key words:

1. “Ahdatha” (introduced):
   1. Creating something new
   2. Bringing in an innovation
   3. Adding something that wasn’t there before
2. “Amrina” (our matter):
   1. The religion of Islam
   2. The teachings and practices established by the Prophet
   3. The complete way of life that Allah has approved
3. “Laysa minhu” (not from it):
   1. Not based on the Quran or Sunnah
   2. Not following the principles of Islam
   3. Something foreign to the religion
4. “Radd” (rejected):
   1. Not accepted by Allah
   2. Thrown back at the person
   3. Of no benefit or reward

The Two Versions of the Hadith

There are two slightly different versions of this Hadith:

1. First Version: “Whoever introduces into this matter of ours something that is not part of it, it will be rejected.”
   1. This focuses on bringing new things into the religion
2. Second Version: “Whoever does a deed that is not in accordance with our matter, it will be rejected.”
   1. This focuses on actions that don’t follow the proper teachings of Islam

Together, these versions give us a complete understanding of the principle.

The Concept of Bid’ah (Innovation)

Definition of Bid’ah

Bid’ah in Islamic terminology means:

• Introducing something new into the religion
• Creating practices that have no basis in Islam
• Changing established religious practices
• Adding or removing from the religion based on personal opinions

Types of Bid’ah According to Scholars

Scholars have different views on categorizing bid’ah:

1. Some scholars divide bid’ah into two types:
   1. Bid’ah in religious matters: Always rejected
   2. Innovation in worldly matters: Generally allowed and can be beneficial
2. Other scholars divide bid’ah into five categories:
   1. Mandatory innovation: Like collecting the Quran in one book
   2. Recommended innovation: Like building schools to teach Quran
   3. Permitted innovation: Like using new types of food
   4. Disliked innovation: Like decorating mosques excessively
   5. Forbidden innovation: Like creating new forms of worship
3. Some scholars consider all religious bid’ah to be forbidden, based on the Prophet’s statement: “Every innovation is a bid’ah, and every bid’ah is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.”

Examples of Rejected Innovations

Some examples of rejected innovations in religion include:

1. Creating new forms of worship not taught by the Prophet
2. Adding extra prayers that were not practiced by the Prophet
3. Changing the method of prayer from what was taught
4. Celebrating religious occasions that were not celebrated by the Prophet
5. Introducing new conditions for acts of worship
6. Declaring something forbidden which Allah has not forbidden
7. Declaring something permissible which Allah has forbidden

Innovation vs. Development

It’s important to understand the difference between:

1. Religious innovation (rejected): Changing religious practices established by the Prophet
2. Worldly development (accepted): Creating new technologies, tools, or methods for worldly matters

For example:

• Using a microphone to deliver the Friday sermon is not a religious innovation; it’s just using technology to spread the same message
• Building schools to teach Quran is not a religious innovation; it’s just a new method to achieve the same religious goal

Importance of This Hadith

Foundation of Pure Worship

This Hadith establishes that:

• Worship must be based only on the Quran and Sunnah
• Personal opinions cannot change religious practices
• Good intentions are not enough; actions must also be correct
• Islam is complete and perfect, needing no additions

Protecting the Religion

This Hadith helps protect Islam by:

• Keeping religious practices pure and unchanged
• Preventing the mixing of Islamic and non-Islamic practices
• Ensuring that Islam remains as the Prophet taught it
• Distinguishing between what is truly Islamic and what is not

Criteria for Acceptance of Deeds

The Hadith establishes two conditions for any deed to be accepted by Allah:

1. Sincerity (Ikhlas): The deed must be done solely for Allah’s sake
2. Correctness (Ittiba’): The deed must be done according to the Prophet’s teachings

If either condition is missing, the deed is rejected.

Conclusion

Hadith 5 of An-Nawawi’s collection teaches us the important principle that all religious innovations are rejected. For any deed to be accepted by Allah, it must be both sincere and in accordance with the Prophet’s teachings. This Hadith helps Muslims preserve the purity of their religion and ensures that worship is done exactly as Allah intended. By following this principle, we can be confident that our religious practices are correct and acceptable to Allah.

The Hadith also reminds us that Islam is a complete religion that does not need additions or modifications. Allah has perfected the religion and completed His favor upon the believers. Our task is to learn, understand, and practice Islam as it was taught by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), without adding to it or taking away from it.

Evaluation

1. Write Hadith 5 of An-Nawawi’s collection in Arabic and English.
2. Who narrated this Hadith and what do you know about her?
3. Explain the meaning of the key terms in this Hadith.
4. What is the difference between rejected religious innovation and accepted worldly development?
5. What are the two conditions for a deed to be accepted by Allah?
6. Give three examples of how this Hadith applies to our daily lives.

Classwork

Answer the following questions:

1. Write Hadith 5 of An-Nawawi’s collection in Arabic and English.
2. Who narrated this Hadith and what do you know about her?
3. Explain the meaning of the key terms in this Hadith.
4. What is the difference between rejected religious innovation and accepted worldly development?
5. What are the two conditions for a deed to be accepted by Allah?
6. Give three examples of how this Hadith applies to our daily lives.