Hadith 32, 34, 35, 38, 41 of Imam An-Nawawi – SS3 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (Second Term)

Hadith 32, 34, 35, 38 and 41 of Imam An-Nawawi’s collection teach avoiding harm, changing evil, brotherhood, attaining Allah’s love and obeying the Prophet over one’s desires.

For each hadith, this note gives the narrator, the text, the source and a short commentary.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. state the text of Hadith 32, 34, 35, 38 and 41 and name the narrator of each
2. explain what a maxim of fiqh is and list the five major maxims
3. describe the three ways of changing an evil and the virtues of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil
4. list the things that destroy brotherhood in Islam, according to Hadith 35
5. describe the three levels of the friends of Allah

What are the key terms used in these hadith?

These terms appear in the hadith and their commentaries.

• Hadith: a report of the words, actions or approval of the Prophet (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam).
• Isnad: the chain of narrators who passed the hadith down.
• Sahih: an authentic hadith, the highest grade.
• Hasan: a good hadith, a grade just below sahih.
• Wali: a friend of Allah.
• Nafil: a voluntary (supererogatory) deed beyond the compulsory duties.
• Taqwa: piety, being conscious of Allah and fearing Him.

What does Hadith 32 teach about harm?

Hadith 32 teaches that a Muslim must not harm others and must not answer harm with harm.

• Narrator: Abu Sa’id Sa’d bin Malik bin Sinan al-Khudri (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhu).
• Grade: hasan.

The Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:

“There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”

What is the source of Hadith 32?

• Ibn Majah and Al-Daraqutni: they and others related it as of sound isnad.
• Malik: he related it in his Muwatta’ as of broken isnad, from ‘Amr bin Yahya, from his father, from the Prophet.
• Missing name: Malik’s version drops the name of Abu Sa’id.
• Strength: the lines of transmission strengthen one another, so the hadith may be regarded as sound.

What is the commentary on Hadith 32?

• Miraculous speech: the hadith shows how the Prophet used very short sentences that carry very great meanings.
• Maxim of fiqh: it contains a very important maxim of fiqh.

What is a maxim of fiqh?

A maxim of fiqh is a principle used to derive rulings.

• Direct use: muftis and scholars can derive rulings directly from the maxim.
• Purpose: maxims make us aware of the philosophy and essence of the shari’ah.

What are the five major maxims of fiqh?

There are five major maxims of fiqh that the shari’ah is based upon.

1. Actions are but by their intentions.
2. Difficulty brings ease.
3. Certainty is not removed by doubt.
4. Harm is to be removed (this one comes from Hadith 32).
5. Customs are a legislation.

What does Hadith 34 teach about changing an evil?

Hadith 34 teaches that a Muslim who sees an evil must change it by the best means he is able to use.

• Narrator: Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhu).
• Source: reported by Muslim.

Abu Sa’eed said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) say:

‘Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith.’”

What are the three ways of changing an evil?

There are three ways of changing an evil: with the hand, with the tongue and with the heart.

What is the commentary on Hadith 34?

• Importance: the hadith sets the guidelines for a great part of Islam, which is to enjoin the good and forbid the evil.

What are the virtues of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil?

• Prophets: all the previous prophets used to encourage it (Surah Al A’raf [7:157]).
• Believers: Allah describes the believers as having these qualities (Surah At-Tawbah [9:71]).
• Hypocrites: Allah describes the hypocrites as not having these qualities (Surah At-Tawbah [9:67]).

What does Hadith 35 teach about brotherhood?

Hadith 35 teaches that Muslims are brothers and must avoid the actions that destroy brotherhood.

• Narrator: Abu Hurayrah (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhu).
• Source: reported by Muslim.

The Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:

“Do not envy one another, and do not inflate prices for one another, and do not hate one another, and do not turn away from one another, and do not undercut one another in trade, but [rather] be slaves of Allah and brothers [amongst yourselves]. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim: he does not oppress him, nor does he fail him, nor does he lie to him, nor does he hold him in contempt. Taqwa (piety) is right here [and he pointed to his chest three times]. It is evil enough for a man to despise his Muslim brother. The whole of a Muslim is inviolable for another Muslim: his blood, his property, and his honour.”

What destroys brotherhood according to Hadith 35?

• Envy: wishing that a brother loses what he has.
• Inflating prices: raising prices against one another in trade.
• Hatred: hating one another.
• Turning away: cutting off contact with one another.
• Undercutting in trade: spoiling a brother’s deal in business.

What must a Muslim not do to his brother?

• Oppress him: he must not wrong him.
• Fail him: he must not leave him without help.
• Lie to him: he must be truthful.
• Hold him in contempt: despising a brother is evil enough.

What three things of a Muslim are inviolable?

• His blood: his life must not be harmed.
• His property: his belongings must not be taken unjustly.
• His honour: his good name must not be attacked.

What is the commentary on Hadith 35?

• Practical concept: brotherhood in Islam is more than the feelings we hold for one another.
• Actions: it consists of many things we should do and many things we should stay away from.
• Knowledge: true brotherhood needs knowledge, for example the correct way of demanding your rights from a brother.
• Mutual action: the Arabic word for envy here means mutual envy, where both sides envy each other.
• Other words: the Arabic words for inflating prices, hating and turning away also imply that the action is mutual.

What does Hadith 38 teach about attaining Allah’s love?

Hadith 38 teaches that a servant gains Allah’s love by doing his duties and then adding voluntary deeds.

• Narrator: Abu Hurayrah (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhu).
• Source: reported by Bukhari.
• Type: a hadith qudsi, because the Prophet reports the words of Allah.

The Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:

“Verily Allah (Glorified may He be) has said: ‘Whosoever shows enmity to a wali (friend) of Mine, then I have declared war against him. And My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved than the religious duties I have obligated upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to Me with nafil (supererogatory) deeds until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to seek refuge with Me, I would surely grant him refuge.’”

What are the main lessons of Hadith 38?

• Enmity to a wali: Allah declares war on whoever shows enmity to His friend.
• Duties first: the compulsory duties are the most beloved way of drawing near to Allah.
• Nafil deeds: voluntary deeds bring the servant to Allah’s love.
• Result of Allah’s love: Allah answers his requests and grants him refuge when he seeks it.

What is the commentary on Hadith 38?

• Status: scholars said it is the most noble hadith in describing the friends of Allah.
• Content: it gives the method of becoming friends with Allah and the results of that friendship.
• Scholarly attention: scholars wrote books on it. Imam Al-Shawkani wrote a book of over 500 pages on this hadith.
• Who is a friend of Allah: from Surah Yunus [10:62-64], he must be a believer (excel in faith) and pious (excel in actions).

What are the three levels of the friends of Allah?

There are three levels of the friends of Allah, taken from Surah Fatir [35:32].

What does Hadith 41 teach about the desire of a believer?

Hadith 41 teaches that true belief requires a person’s desires to follow what the Prophet brought.

• Narrator: Abu Muhammad Abdullah bin ’Amr bin al-’Aas (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhu).
• Source: Imam Al-Nawawi says: “We have related it in Kitab al-Hujjah with a sahih chain of narrators.”

The Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:

“None of you [truly] believes until his desires are subservient to that which I have brought.”

What are the lessons of Hadith 41?

• Belief and desires: a believer places his wishes under the teachings of the Prophet.
• What the Prophet brought: this means the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

Evaluation

1. What is a maxim of fiqh? List the five major maxims of fiqh.
2. State the three ways of changing an evil given in Hadith 34.
3. List four things a Muslim must not do to his brother, according to Hadith 35.
4. Name the three levels of the friends of Allah taken from Surah Fatir [35:32].
5. Complete the hadith: “None of you [truly] believes until …”

Assignment

Prepare a revision sheet with these three parts:

1. Write out Hadith 32, name the narrator and name two scholars who related it as of sound isnad.
2. Give three virtues of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, with the Quranic references in this note.
3. Explain why knowledge is needed to attain true brotherhood.