2nd Hadith - Islam, Faith and Excellence [Muslim: 8(a)]

الحديثُ الثَّاني

عَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَيْضاً قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ جُلُوْسٌ عِنْدَ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ إِذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ شَدِيْدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ شَدِيْدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعْرِ، لاَ يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ، وَلاَ يَعْرِفُهُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى جَلَسَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ وَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّد أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ اْلإِسْلاَمِ، فَقَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: اْلإِسِلاَمُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُوْلُ اللهِ وَتُقِيْمَ الصَّلاَةَ وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكاَةَ وَتَصُوْمَ رَمَضَانَ   وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيْلاً قَالَ : صَدَقْتَ، فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ يَسْأَلُهُ وَيُصَدِّقُهُ، قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ اْلإِيْمَانِ قَالَ : أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ. قَالَ صَدَقْتَ، قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ اْلإِحْسَانِ، قَالَ: أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ. قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ، قَالَ: مَا الْمَسْؤُوْلُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ. قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَمَارَاتِهَا، قَالَ أَنْ تَلِدَ اْلأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا وَأَنْ تَرَى الْحُفَاةَ الْعُرَاةَ الْعَالَةَ رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُوْنَ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ، ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ فَلَبِثْتُ مَلِيًّا، ثُمَّ قَالَ : يَا عُمَرَ أَتَدْرِي مَنِ السَّائِلِ ؟ قُلْتُ : اللهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ أَعْلَمَ . قَالَ فَإِنَّهُ جِبْرِيْلُ أَتـَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِيْنَكُمْ 

2nd Hadith Translation

On the authority of Umar (R.A.) who said:

While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him. He sat down close by the Prophet (S.A.W.) rested his knees against the knees of the Prophet (S.A.W.) and placed his palms over his thighs, and said: "O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam." The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) replied: "Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Mohammad (S.A.W.) is Allah’s Messenger, that you should perform Salah (Namaz, Prayer), pay the Zakah (obligatory charity), fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Kabah/Qiblah at Makkah), if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it)." Man said: "You have spoken the truth." We were astonished at this thus questioning him (S.A.W.) and then telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, "Inform me about Iman (faith)." the Prophet (S.A.W.) answered, "It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in fate, both in its good and in its evil aspects." The man said, "You have spoken the truth." Then the man said, "Inform me about Ihsan (obtain perfection, or excellence, in worship Allah)." The Prophet (S.A.W.) answered, "It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet He sees you." The man said, "Inform me about the Hour (the Day of Judgment)." Prophet (S.A.W.) said, "About that the one questioned knows no more than the questioner." So the man said, "Well, inform me about its signs." Prophet (S.A.W.) said, "They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and that you will see the barefooted ones, the naked, the destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings." Thereupon the man went off. I waited a while, and then he (the Prophet) said, "O `Umar, do you know who that questioner was?" I replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said, "That was Jibril. He came to teach you your religion." [Muslim: 8(a)]

Brief Narration

This hadith is a very meaningful hadith because it contains the fundamental principles of Islam, i-e Faith, Five pillars of Islam, Islamic teachings and Ihsan.

1. The beliefs that make up 'Iman' (Faith or believe), including the belief of 'Qadar' (fate/predestination).
2. The attainment of the highest level of 'Iman' which is 'Ihsan' (perfection).
3. The 'Adab' (ways of seeking knowledge) and of teaching.
4. About the Hour (the Day of Judgment), as Hadith states that neither Prophet (S.A.W.) nor Jibril knows when the day of Judgment will come. Only Allah knows about it.

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