12th Hadith - Leaving that Which Does Not Concern You (Ibn-Majah: 3976)

الحديث الثاني عشر 

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: مِنْ حُسْنِ إِسْلاَمِ الْمَرْءِ تَرْكُهُ مَا لاَ يَعْنِيْهِ

[حديث حسن رواه الترمذي وغيره هكذا]

12th Hadith Translation

On the authority of Abu Hurairah (R.A.), who said: The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) said:

"Part of the perfection of someone's Islam is his leaving alone that which does not concern him." 

(Ibn-Majah: 2518)

Brief Narration

This hadith states that a believer should avoid things that are of no concern to him. They are of no benefit to this life nor to the hereafter, in terms of belief, speech or actions, in justifying this point. Imam Ibn Al-Arabi said that a person is not able to take care of all the necessary matters, why would he then get involved in the unnecessary matters that are of no real concern.

We should be aware not to waste our time and effort in matters that are of no concern to us. We should keep ourselves busy only with matters of benefit to us and to the Ummah (our Muslim/Islamic community).

(Reference: Commentary of Forty Hadiths of An-Nawawi by Dr. Jamal Ahmed Badi)