Hadith 10 Of An-Nawawi’s Collection JSS2 Islamic Studies Lesson Note

HADITH 10 OF AN-NAWAWIS COLLECTION

Hadith 10 from Imam An-Nawawi’s famous “Forty Hadith” collection teaches Muslims about earning money and food in good ways. This hadith was told by Abu Hurairah, who was one of Prophet Muhammad’s closest companions. Abu Hurairah shared many of the Prophet’s teachings with later Muslims.

The Text of Hadith 10

On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Allah the Almighty is good and accepts only that which is good. Allah has commanded the believers to do that which He commanded the Messengers. Allah the Almighty has said: ‘O Messengers! Eat of the good things and act righteously’ [Quran 23:51]. And Allah the Almighty also said: ‘O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you’ [Quran 2:172].”

Then he (the Prophet) mentioned a man who travels widely, his hair disheveled and covered with dust. He lifts his hands to the sky and says, “O Lord! O Lord!” But his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he is nourished with unlawful things, so how can his prayer be answered?

(Related by Muslim)

Breaking Down the Hadith

Part 1: “Allah the Almighty is good and accepts only that which is good.”

This first part teaches us:

– Allah is pure and perfect in every way

– Allah only accepts things that are pure and good

– This includes our worship, our earnings, our food, and our actions

– Anything that is not good or pure will not be accepted by Allah

This reminds us that the quality of what we offer to Allah matters, not just the act itself.

Part 2: “Allah has commanded the believers to do that which He commanded the Messengers.”

This part shows us:

– The rules for prophets and messengers also apply to regular believers

– Allah does not have different standards for different people

– If something was required of the prophets, it is also required of us

– This creates a connection between all believers across time

We should try to follow the same high standards that were set for the prophets.

Part 3: Two Verses from the Quran

The Prophet quoted two verses from the Quran:

1. “O Messengers! Eat of the good things and act righteously” (Quran 23:51)
2. “O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you” (Quran 2:172)

These verses show:

– Both messengers and regular believers are told to eat good things

– Eating good (halal) food is connected to doing good deeds

– What we eat affects our spiritual state

– Allah provides good things for us to enjoy in permissible ways

– The command to eat good things appears in different parts of the Quran, showing its importance

Part 4: The Example of the Traveler

The Prophet gave an example of a person whose prayer is not answered:

– A man traveling far from home (showing dedication)

– Hair messy and dusty (showing humility and effort)

– Raising hands to the sky (showing proper prayer position)

– Calling to Allah repeatedly (showing persistence in prayer)

But despite doing all these things that should make his prayer accepted, there is a problem:

– His food is from unlawful sources

– His drink is from unlawful sources

– His clothes were bought with unlawful money

– His body is nourished by unlawful earnings

The Prophet ends with a powerful question: “How can his prayer be answered?” This suggests that the man’s prayers will not be accepted because his living is based on things that are unlawful.

Important Terms in the Hadith

1. Good (Tayyib): Things that are pure, clean, beneficial, and lawful
2. Unlawful (Haram): Things forbidden by Allah in the Quran or by the Prophet
3. Lawful (Halal): Things permitted by Allah and His Prophet
4. Act righteously: Doing good deeds according to Islamic teachings

Practical Lessons from Hadith 10

1. The Importance of Earning Lawfully

This hadith teaches us that how we earn our money is very important in Islam:

– We should work in jobs that are halal (permissible)

– We should be honest in our business dealings

– We should not cheat, lie, or steal to make money

– We should avoid interest-based income

– We should not sell harmful products

Examples of unlawful earnings include:

– Money from selling alcohol or drugs

– Money from gambling

– Money from cheating others

– Money from interest (riba)

– Money from corrupt practices

2. The Connection Between Physical and Spiritual Life

This hadith shows that what we eat and wear affects our spiritual life:

– Our physical body and spiritual heart are connected

– Unlawful food can harm our relationship with Allah

– How we earn affects how our prayers are received

– Our lifestyle choices impact our worship

3. The Conditions for Accepted Prayers

The hadith teaches that for prayers to be accepted:

– We must eat from halal sources

– We must drink halal drinks

– We must wear clothes bought with halal money

– We must live on halal earnings

– Just looking humble or praying earnestly is not enough

4. The High Standards for Muslims

This hadith shows that:

– Muslims are held to the same standards as the prophets

– Being a believer means following all aspects of Islam

– We cannot separate worship from daily life

– Every part of life should be in line with Allah’s guidance

Real-Life Applications

Example 1: Choosing a Job

Ahmad was offered two jobs:

– One pays more money but involves helping a company that sometimes cheats customers

– One pays less but is completely halal

This hadith teaches Ahmad to choose the second job, even though it pays less, because earning halal money is more important than earning more money.

Example 2: Shopping Choices

Fatima wants to buy food for her family. She has two choices:

– Buy meat from a shop that does not follow Islamic slaughter rules but is cheaper

– Buy properly slaughtered halal meat that costs more

This hadith teaches Fatima to spend more money on the properly slaughtered meat because what her family eats affects their spiritual well-being.

Example 3: Business Dealings

Yusuf runs a small shop. Sometimes he can make extra money by:

– Not telling customers about small defects in products

– Adding a little less weight when weighing goods

– Charging more to customers who don’t know the real price

This hadith teaches Yusuf to be completely honest, even if it means making less profit, because unlawful earnings will harm his relationship with Allah.

Example 4: Prayer and Lifestyle

Aisha prays five times a day and makes extra prayers. But she:

– Watches movies with inappropriate content

– Listens to music with bad words

– Eats at restaurants that also serve alcohol

– Wears clothes bought with money from a job that involves interest

This hadith teaches Aisha that she needs to clean up her whole lifestyle, not just focus on prayer, because Allah looks at all aspects of our life.

Conclusion

Hadith 10 gives us a powerful message about the connection between our daily choices and our relationship with Allah. It teaches us that:

1. Allah is pure and only accepts what is pure
2. How we earn our living directly affects our worship
3. Muslims should follow the same standards as the prophets
4. For prayers to be accepted, our food, drink, clothing, and earnings must be lawful
5. We cannot separate our spiritual life from our physical life

This hadith reminds us to check where our money comes from, what we eat, what we wear, and how we live. By following these teachings, we can improve both our worldly life and our standing with Allah.

When we ensure that everything in our life is halal and good, we open the door for our prayers to be answered and our worship to be accepted.