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عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ، وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that Allah Almighty does not look at the appearance and bodies of His servants, as to whether they are beautiful or ugly, big or small, and sound or sick. And He does not look at their wealth as to whether they possess much or little. Indeed, Allah Almighty does not punish His servants or hold them accountable for these matters and their different levels regarding them. But He looks at their hearts and the piety, certitude, truthfulness, and sincerity existing therein or their intention to show off and attain a good reputation among people. He looks at their deeds and sees whether they are righteous or evil, and He gives the recompense accordingly.

• We should be careful to mend our hearts and purify them of any bad traits.
• Hearts become sound with sincerity, and deeds become sound by following the Prophet's example. It is both of them that Allah Almighty looks at and judges accordingly.
• A person should not be deceived by wealth, beauty, body, or worldly appearances.
• The Hadīth warns us against caring about outward appearance and failing to reform what is inside.

صحيح مسلم (2564) (4/ 1986). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 40). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل المبارك (ص14). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 25).

عن أبي ذر رضي الله عنه: عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيمَا رَوَى عَنِ اللهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «يَا عِبَادِي إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي، وَجَعَلْتُهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مُحَرَّمًا، فَلَا تَظَالَمُوا، يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ ضَالٌّ إِلَّا مَنْ هَدَيْتُهُ، فَاسْتَهْدُونِي أَهْدِكُمْ، يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ جَائِعٌ إِلَّا مَنْ أَطْعَمْتُهُ، فَاسْتَطْعِمُونِي أُطْعِمْكُمْ، يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ عَارٍ إِلَّا مَنْ كَسَوْتُهُ، فَاسْتَكْسُونِي أَكْسُكُمْ، يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ تُخْطِئُونَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَأَنَا أَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي أَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ، يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَبْلُغُوا ضَرِّي فَتَضُرُّونِي، وَلَنْ تَبْلُغُوا نَفْعِي فَتَنْفَعُونِي، يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ مَا زَادَ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي شَيْئًا، يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا، يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُونِي فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مَسْأَلَتَهُ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا عِنْدِي إِلَّا كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْمِخْيَطُ إِذَا أُدْخِلَ الْبَحْرَ، يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ أُحْصِيهَا لَكُمْ ثُمَّ أُوَفِّيكُمْ إِيَّاهَا، فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللهَ، وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلَا يَلُومَنَّ إِلَّا نَفْسَهُ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Allah Almighty said that He made oppression forbidden for Himself and forbidden among His servants, so people should not oppress one another; that all servants are misguided away from the true path, except if guided and directed by Allah. And whoever asks Allah for guidance, He guides and directs him; that all servants stand in need of Allah in all their affairs. So, whoever asks from Allah, He fulfills his need and gives him sufficiency; that they commit sins day and night, and Allah Almighty conceals their sins and pardons them when they ask for His forgiveness; that they cannot cause any harm to Allah or bring Him any benefit; that if they were as pious as the most pious heart of any man, their piety would not add anything to Allah's dominion; and if they were as wicked as the most wicked heart of any man, their wickedness would not cause any decrease in His dominion. This is because they are helpless and in need of Allah. They need Him in all their conditions and in all times and places, whereas He is the Self-Sufficient One above any need; and that if they were to stand in one place, including all humans and jinn, the first and last one amongst them and were to ask from Allah, and He gave everyone what he asked for, this would not cause any decrease to what Allah possesses, like a needle when it is dipped into the sea; the sea does not diminish whatsoever on account of that. This is because of the perfect self-sufficiency of Allah Almighty; and that Allah Almighty records and counts the deeds of His servants and gives them full recompense on the Day of Judgment. Whoever finds good recompense for his deeds should praise Allah for guiding him to His worship, and whoever finds different recompense for his deeds should not blame anyone but his evil-commanding self, which led him to the loss.

• This is one of the Hadīths the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) narrated about his Lord. It is called a Qudsi or divine Hadīth, and its wording and meaning are attributed to Allah. However, Qudsi Hadīths do not possess the traits of the Qur'an, which is distinguished from anything else, such as reciting it as a form of worship, getting purified for it, presenting it as a challenge, its miraculousness, etc.
• Any knowledge or guidance that people possess comes from Allah’s guidance and teaching.
• Any good that happens to a person comes from Allah's grace, and any evil that afflicts him stems from his soul and vain desire.
• Whoever acts rightly is due to guidance from his Lord, and the good recompense he gets is a favour from Allah, to Whom all praise is due. And whoever does wrong should not blame anyone but himself.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 1994) (2577). التحفة الربانية في شرح الأربعين حديثًا النووية (ص52). شرح الأربعين النووية، لابن عثيمين (ص235). فتح القوي المتين في شرح الأربعين وتتمة الخمسين، للعباد (ص82). الأحاديث الأربعون النووية وعليها الشرح الموجز المفيد، لعبد الله المحسن (ص46).

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضيَ اللهُ عنه أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: «أَحَبُّ الْبِلَادِ إِلَى اللهِ مَسَاجِدُهَا، وَأَبْغَضُ الْبِلَادِ إِلَى اللهِ أَسْوَاقُهَا».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the most beloved places to Allah Almighty are the mosques, for they are houses of worship and acts of obedience and are built upon piety. And the most hated places to Allah are the marketplaces, because they are often filled with deception, fraud, usury, false oaths, broken promises, and heedlessness of the remembrance of Allah.

• The sanctity and high status of the mosques, for they are houses in which the Name of Allah is frequently mentioned.
• An encouragement to adhere to mosques and to frequent them often in pursuit of Allah's love and pleasure, and to minimize visits to marketplaces except when necessary, to avoid falling into things that incur divine displeasure.
• An-Nawawi said: The mosques are places where Allah's mercy descends, while the marketplaces are their opposite.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 464) (671). نزهة المتقين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 1250). بهجة الناظرين، لسليم الهلالي (3/ 305). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (6/ 655). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (21/ 526).

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه مرفوعاً: «لما خلق اللهُ الخَلْقَ كتب في كتاب، فهو عنده فوق العرش: إن رحمتي تَغْلِبُ غضبي». وفي رواية: «غَلَبَتْ غضبي» وفي رواية: «سَبَقَتْ غضبي».

When Allah created the creation, He wrote in a book, which is with Him over the Throne: Verily, My mercy predominates over My anger. In the Qur'an, He says: {And My mercy encompasses all things.} Indeed, this prompts Muslims not to despair or lose hope.

نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، نشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة: الرابعة عشر، 1407ه 1987م. بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، للهلالي، نشر: دار ابن الجوزي. المنهاج شرح صحيح مسلم بن الحجاج، للنووي، نشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت، الطبعة: الثانية، 1392ه النهاية في غريب الحديث والأثر، لابن الأثير، نشر: المكتبة العلمية - بيروت، 1399هـ - 1979م، تحقيق: طاهر أحمد الزاوى - محمود محمد الطناحي. صحيح البخاري، نشر: دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم ترقيم محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422ه. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، نشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت.

عن عائشة رضي الله عنها «أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بعث رجلا على سَرِيَّةٍ فكان يَقْرَأ لأصحابه في صلاتهم، فَيَخْتِمُ بـ«قل هو الله أحد» فلما رجعوا ذكروا ذلك لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: سَلُوهُ لأَيِّ شيء صَنَع ذلك؟ فسألُوه، فقال: لِأنَّها صِفَةُ الرحمن عز وجل ، فأنا أُحِب أَنْ أَقْرَأ بها، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : أَخْبِرُوه: أنَّ الله تعالى يُحِبُّه».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed a man in charge of an army unit to be in charge and judge between them so that everything take place in an orderly fashion and without chaos. He chose the most religious, knowledgeable, and expert one of them. For this reason, rulers and scholars were to lead the prayers due to their knowledge and religion. He always concluded his recitation with Sūrat al-Ikhlās in the second Rak‘ah of every prayer because of his love of Allah and His names and attributes. It is natural whenever someone loves something that he increases its remembrance. When they returned to Madīnah, they reported this to the Prophet. So he said: "Ask him why he does this!" Is it a coincidence, or is there a special reason? The leader said: "I do this because this Sūrah contains the attributes of the Most Merciful and I love to repeat it because of this. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Inform him, just as he repeats this Sūrah - because of what it contains of Allah's beautiful names and attributes and because he loves it - Allah loves him as well."

تيسير العلام للبسام الناشر: مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة الطبعة- العاشرة، 1426 هـ - 2006 م. تنبيه الأفهام للعثيمين، طبعة مكتبة الصحابة - الإمارات - مكتبة التابعين- القاهرة- الطبعة الأولى 1426. الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام لإسماعيل الأنصاري -طبعة دار الفكر- دمشق -الأولى 1381. صحيح البخاري، أبو عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيلالجعفي البخاري - تحقيق محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر -الناشر : دار طوق النجاة - الطبعة الأولى 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، أبو الحسين مسلم بن الحجاج القشيري النيسابوري، المحقق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي - الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت. تأسيس الأحكام، أحمد بن يحيى النجمي- دار المنهاج- القاهرة- مصر -الطبعة الأولى.

عن علي بن ربيعة، قال: شهدت علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه أتي بدابة ليركبها، فلما وضع رجله في الركاب، قال: بسم الله، فلما استوى على ظهرها، قال: الحمد لله الذي سخر لنا هذا وما كنا له مُقْرِنين، وإنا إلى ربنا لمنقلبون، ثم قال: الحمد لله، ثلاث مرات، ثم قال: الله أكبر، ثلاث مرات، ثم قال: سبحانك إني ظلمت نفسي فاغفر لي إنه لا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت، ثم ضحك، فقيل: يا أمير المؤمنين، من أي شيء ضحكت؟ قال: رأيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فعل كما فعلت ثم ضحك، فقلت: يا رسول الله، من أي شيء ضحكت؟ قال: «إن ربك تعالى يَعجب من عبده إذا قال: اغفر لي ذنوبي، يعلم أنه لا يغفر الذنوب غيري»

‘Ali ibn Rabī‘ah, who was a leading Tābi‘i, reported that he was present when ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib was brought his riding mount. When he put his foot in the stirrup, he said: “Bismillah”, meaning: I ride in the name of Allah. When he settled on its back, he said: “Exalted is He…”, praising Him for this great favor; subduing the animal and causing it to yield to let people ride it, safe from any evil it might cause them. “…who has subjected this to us”, meaning that He has made this animal subservient to us, and we would not have been able to subdue it otherwise. Then he said: “Praise be to Allah” three times and then: “Allah is the Greatest” three times. The repetition indicates the glory of Allah, and that the slave does not give Him His true right, even though he is enjoined to worship Him at all times, according to his ability. Then he said: “Exalted are You above any imperfection. I have wronged myself…”, meaning, I have wronged myself by not fulfilling Your due right upon me in expressing gratitude for this great favor, even through slight heedlessness, a passing thought, or a glance. “…so forgive me”, meaning, conceal my sins by not punishing me for them. “…for none but You can forgive sins”, meaning that this indicates admitting negligence, despite the abundant blessings of Allah upon him. “…and then he laughed. It was asked: ‘O Commander of the Believers, what made you laugh?’" In a verified version of Ash-Shamāil, the narration says: “So I asked”, instead of: “It was asked”. The reason he was asked was that nothing had (apparently) happened that would initiate laughter. It is noteworthy that in the question, addressing him as “O Commander of the Believers” preceded the question, due to the etiquette of speech. “He replied: ‘I saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing as I have done…’, referring to the riding and saying the Dhikr. “Then he laughed. I asked him, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what made you laugh?’ He said: 'Your Lord, Glorious is He, is pleased.” When ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) remembered this, it necessitated even more gratitude, so he laughed. He did not laugh only by way of imitation. “…hen His slave seeks His forgiveness; he (the slave) knows”, he says this because he is aware and not heedless of the fact that: “...none can forgive sins except Allah.”

سنن أبي داود-المحقق: محمد محيي الدين عبد الحميد-الناشر: المكتبة العصرية، صيدا - بيروت. مسند الإمام أحمد بن حنبل-المحقق: شعيب الأرنؤوط - عادل مرشد، وآخرون إشراف: د عبد الله بن عبد المحسن التركي-الناشر: مؤسسة الرسالة-الطبعة: الأولى، 1421 هـ - 2001 م. سنن الترمذي- تحقيق وتعليق: أحمد محمد شاكر (جـ 1، 2) ومحمد فؤاد عبد الباقي (جـ 3) وإبراهيم عطوة عوض المدرس في الأزهر الشريف (جـ 4، 5) - الناشر: شركة مكتبة ومطبعة مصطفى البابي الحلبي - مصر - الطبعة: الثانية، 1395 هـ - 1975 م. دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين, تأليف: محمد علي بن محمد البكري الصديقي, عناية: خليل مأمون شيحا, الناشر: دار المعرفة, ط 4 عام 1425. بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين, تأليف: سليم بن عيد الهلالي, دار ابن الجوزي. نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين, تأليف: مصطفى الخن ومصطفى البغا ومحي الدين مستو وعلي الشربجي ومحمد لطفي, مؤسسة الرسالة, ط 14 عام 1407 - 1987. تطريز رياض الصالحين, تأليف: فيصل مبارك, دار العاصمة, ط1423 – 2002. صحيح وضعيف سنن أبي داود- محمد ناصر الدين الألباني - مصدر الكتاب: برنامج منظومة التحقيقات الحديثية - من إنتاج مركز نور الإسلام لأبحاث القرآن والسنة بالإسكندرية، 2002.

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بنِ مَسْعُودٍ رضي الله عنه قال: سَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَيُّ الذَّنْبِ أَعْظَمُ عِنْدَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ: «أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِلهِ نِدًّا وَهُوَ خَلَقَكَ» قُلْتُ: إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَعَظِيمٌ، قُلْتُ: ثُمَّ أَيُّ؟ قَالَ: «وَأَنْ تَقْتُلَ وَلَدَكَ؛ تَخَافُ أَنْ يَطْعَمَ مَعَكَ» قُلْتُ: ثُمَّ أَيُّ؟ قَالَ: «أَنْ تُزَانِيَ حَلِيلَةَ جَارِكَ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the gravest sins and he answered: The gravest sin is major Shirk (polytheism), which means setting up an equal or a rival to Allah in His worship, Lordship, or His names and attributes. Allah Almighty does not forgive this sin except through repentance. If one dies in this state of major Shirk, he will dwell in Hellfire forever. The second gravest sin is killing one's child out of fear that he may share his food with him. So, killing a soul is unlawful, but the sin becomes graver when the killed person is a relative of the killer, and the gravity of the sin increases even more if the killer's motive is fear that the killed person would share with him the sustenance provided by Allah. The third gravest sin is committing adultery with his neighbor's wife by trying to deceive her, so he can have sexual intercourse with her and make her submit to him. Adultery is unlawful but the sin becomes graver when committed with the wife of one's neighbor, whom one is ordered by Shariah to treat with kindness, benevolence, and good companionship.

• Sins vary in terms of gravity and good deeds vary in terms of merit.
• The gravest sin is associating partners with Allah Almighty, then killing one's child for fear that he may share his food with him, and then committing adultery with the wife of one's neighbor.
• Sustenance lies in the Hand of Allah and He has guaranteed provision for His creatures.
• Significance of the neighbor's rights and how harming him is much graver than harming anyone else.
• The Creator is the One worthy of worship, alone with no partner.

صحيح البخاري (6/ 18) (4477). صحيح مسلم (1/ 90) (86). شرح النووي على مسلم (2/ 79). فتح ذي الجلال والاكرام بشرح بلوغ المرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 288). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، للبسام (7/ 335).

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ المؤْمنينَ رَضيَ اللهُ عنها قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَقُمْ مِنْهُ: «لَعَنَ اللهُ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى، اتَّخَذُوا قُبُورَ أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ مَسَاجِدَ» قَالَتْ: فَلَوْلَا ذَاكَ أُبْرِزَ قَبْرُهُ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ خُشِيَ أَنْ يُتَّخَذَ مَسْجِدًا.

‘Ā’ishah, Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) informed that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said during his illness that became severe and led to his death: May Allah curse the Jews and Christians and expel them from His mercy, for they took the graves of their prophets as places of worship by building over graves, praying at them, or facing them in worship. Then she (may Allah be pleased with her) said: If it were not for that prohibition and warning from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and the Companions' fear that his grave might be treated the way the Jews and Christians treated the graves of their prophets, his grave would have been made apparent and prominent.

• This is one of his final advices, which indicates its significance and the need to give it careful attention.
• The emphatic prohibition and strict forbiddance of taking graves as places of worship or intentionally praying at them, except for the funeral prayer, as this leads to venerating the deceased, circumambulating his grave, touching its corners, or calling upon his name—all of which are acts and means of Shirk (polytheism).
• The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was so attentive and careful about Tawhīd (monotheism) and fearful about venerating the graves, for this leads to Shirk.
• Allah Almighty protected His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from having acts of Shirk committed at his grave. He inspired his Companions and those who came after them to safeguard his grave by keeping it from being made prominent.
• The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) adhered to the Prophet's advice and were diligent in preserving Tawhīd.
• The prohibition of imitating the Jews and Christians, and that building over graves is one of their practices.
• Offering prayer at the graves or towards them falls under taking the graves as places of worship, even if no mosque is built there.

صحيح البخاري (2/ 102) (1390). صحيح مسلم (1/ 376) (529). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لعبد الله البسام (ص292). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (2/ 376). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (1/ 236).