40 hadith honourable character and warning of evil conduct by sheikh yusuf al-nabahani

40 hadith on encouragement towards honourable character and warning

Of evil conduct

Compiled by

Sheikh Yusuf Al-Nabahani (may Allah show him mercy)

الرحيم الرحمن هللا بسم In the name of Allah, the most merciful, the most compassionate, all praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the universe, peace and blessings upon our master Muhammad, master of Messengers, upon his family and his companions, all of them.

These are forty hadith on encouragement towards honourable character and warning about evil conduct.

Hadith one

Tell the truth and beware of lying

Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

يزال ما و الجنة إلى يهدي البر وان البر إلى يهدي الصدق فان بالصدق عليكم فان والكذب واياكم صديقا هللا عند يكتب حتي الصدق ويتحرى يصدق الرجل يكذب الرجل يزال ما و النار إلى يهدي الفجور وان الفجور إلى يهدي الكذب

كذابا هللا عند يكتب حتى الكذب ويتحرى "Adhere to truthfulness; truthfulness guides to piety and piety guides to paradise. A man continues to be persistent upon truthfulness until he is recorded with Allah as one of the truthful. Beware of lying because lies lead to obscenity; because obscenity leads to the fire. A man continues to lie and persists in lying until he is recorded, with Allah, as a liar."1

1 Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Hadith two

Gentleness is goodness

Jarir ibn Abdullah Al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

الخير يحرم الرفق يحرم من "Whoever forbids gentleness has forbidden goodness."2

Hadith three

Avoid sitting on the street without giving its right

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

بالطرقات الجلوس اياكم "Beware of sitting in the streets." They said, "O Messenger of Allah, we have no other way. (They conduct business on the paths). We have to sit and speak." He said,

حقه الطريق فاعطوا أبيتم إذا فانا "If you want to do this, then give the street its right." They asked, "What is its right?" He said,

المنكر عن والنهي بالمعروف واالمر السالم ورد االذي كف و البصر غض 2 Muslim.

"Lower your gaze, refrain from harming, replying to greetings and commanding the good and forbidding evil."3

Hadith four

Excellent character is heavy on the scales on the day of judgement

Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

الخلق نحس من ثقلا الميزان في شيء من ما "There is nothing weights on the scales more than excellent character."4

Hadith five

Shyness is an honourable trait

Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

االيمان من الحياء "Shyness is part of faith."5

3 Al-Bukhari and Muslim. 4 Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi rated sahih. 5 Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Hadith six

Without shyness, some commits sins easily

Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

ا إن ة كالم من الن اس كأدر مم شئت ما فاصنع يتستح لم إذا األولى الن ب و “From that which reached the people from the speech of the first prophets is: when you are not shy then you do as you wish.”6

Hadith seven

Goodness is in every Muslim

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

احرص خير كل في و الضعيف المؤمن من هللا الى احب و خير القوي المؤمن كذا فعلت اني لو تقل فال شيء اصابك وان تعجز وال باهلل واستعن ينفعك ما على

الشيطان عمل تفتح لو فان فعل شاء ما و هللا قدر قل لكن وكذا كذا كان "The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer; in both is goodness; be keen for what benefits you; seek the assistance of Allah and do not be incapable; if something afflicts you do not say if only I had done this or that

6 Al-Bukhari 3483-4, Abu Dawood 4797, Ibn Majah 4183, Imam Ahmed 4/121, 122, Al-Taylasi 621, Al-Bayhaqi 10/192.

but say (this is) the decree of Allah and He does what He wills, because 'if' opens the door of satan."7

Hadith eight

All the believers are the same

Iyyad ibn Hamar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

احد على احد يفخر وال احد على احد يبغي ال حتى تواضوا ان الى هللا اوحى "Allah revealed to me they (should) be humble until no one desires one over the other and no one is proud over the other."8

Hadith nine

Do not harm the honour of anyone

Abu Al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

القيامة يوم النار وجهه عن هللا رد بالغيب اخيه عرض عن رد من "Whoever harms the honour of his brother in his absence; Allah returns it as fire on his face on the day of judgement."9

7 Muslim. 8 Muslim. 9 Al-Tirmidhi. Imam Ahmed reports form Asma bint Yazid.

Hadith ten

Give charity without fear and be humble for Allah (the Exalted)


اال هلل احد تواضع وما عزاا اال بعفو عبدا هللا زاد وما مال من صدقة تنقص ما رفعه

"Wealth does not decease with charity, Allah does not increase his servant in pardoning except it raises him and no one is humble towards Allah except He raises them."10

Hadith eleven

General qualities for life

Abdullah ibn Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

والناس بالليل وصلوا الطعام أطعموا و االرحام وصلوا السالم افشوا الناس ايها يابسالم الجنة تدخلوا نيام

"Dear respected people; spread peace, maintain family ties, feed the poor, pray in the night whilst people are asleep, (thus) enter paradise in peace."11

10 Muslim. 11 Al-Tirmidhi rated Sahih. This was part of the sermon that was delivered upon arriving in Yathrib.

Hadith twelve

Religion is sincerity

Abi Ruqayyah Tamim Ibn Owais Ad-Darri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings be upon him) said,

ين وألئمة ولرس وله ولكتابه هلل قال ؟هيرسولهللالمن ق لنا ثالثالن صيحة الد سلمين تهم الم وعام

“Religion is sincerity to three (people).” We asked, “To whom O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “To Allah, His book (Quran), His Messenger, to the leaders of the Muslims and to the generality.”12

Hadith thirteen

Fear Allah


الخلق وحسن هللا تقوى الجنة يدخل ما اكثر "Most of those who enter paradise are fearful of Allah and have excellent character."13

12 Muslim 55, Abu Dawood 4944, An-Nisa’i 7/156, Imam Ahmed 4/102, Al-Hammadi 837. 13 Al-Tirmidhi authenticated by Al-Hakim.

Hadith fourteen

Seek to exemplify those with excellent character


الخلق حسن و الوجه بسط منكم سعهملي ولكن باموالكم الناس نعوتس ال انكم "You should not purse the wealth of people rather seek from them an enlightened face and excellent character."14

Hadith fifteen

Find your fault by looking at a believer


المؤمن اخيه مرآة المؤمن "A believer is a mirror of the believer."15

14 Abu Ya'lla authenticated by Al-Hakim. 15 Abu Dawood with hassan chain.

Hadith sixteen

Be patient with people


وال الناس يخالط ال الذي من خير اذاهم على ويصبر الناس يخالط الذي المؤمناذاهم على يصبر

"The believer who mixes with people and is patient upon their harm is better than he who does not mix with people and is not patient upon their harm."16

Hadith seventeen

Supplicate for excellent character

Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

خلقي فحسن خلقى حسنت اللهم "O Allah, as you have made my creation excellent; make my character excellent."17

16 Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah rated hassan. 17 Ibn Hibban and authenticated.

Hadith eighteen

Be gentle and violence

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

ال وما العنف على يعطي ال ما الرفق على يعطي و الرفق يحب رفيق تعالى هللا انسواه على يعطي

"Allah, the Exalted, is gentle and loves gentleness; he gives for gentleness; what he does not give for violence (i.e. punishment) and he does not give for anything else."18 In another narration from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that he (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

ينزع وال زانه إال شيء في يكون ال الرفق ان والفخش والعنف واياك بالرفق عليكشانه إال شيء من

"Adhere to gentleness; beware of violence and obscenity. Gentleness is not in anything except it beautifies it and is not taken out of something except it disgraces it."

18 Muslim.

Hadith nineteen

Piety is excellent character

Al-Nawas ibn Samran (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) about piety and sin. He said,

الناس عليه يطلع ان وكرهت صدرك في حاك ما واالثم الخلق حسن البر "Piety is excellent character and sin is that which the heart dislikes and you detest that people know."19

Hadith twenty

If you love him (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) then follow his character Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

اخالقا احسنكم الي احبكم من ان "From your love to me is to make your character excellent."20 Imam Muslim reports the words,

اخالقا احسنكم خياركم "The best of you is the best of you in character."

19 Muslim. 20 Al-Bukhari.

Hadith twenty one

Do not envy


الحطب رالنا تأكل كما الحسنات ياكل الحسد فان والحسد اياكم "Beware of envy because envy consumes good actions like fire consumes wood."21

Hadith twenty two

Strength is controlling anger


الغضب عند نفسه يملك الذي الشديد انما بالصرعة الشديد ليس "Wrestling is not strength rather strength is when someone controls themselves when angry."22

21 Abu Dawood narrated similarly by Ibn Majah from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him). 22 Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Hadith twenty three

Avoid oppressing anyone

Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

قبلكم كان من اهلك فانه الشح واتقوا القيامة يوم ظلمات الظلم فان الظلم اواتق "Fear oppression because oppression is darkness on the day of judgement and fear greed because it destroyed those before you."23 In a narration from Al-Bukhari, from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said,

القيامة يوم ظلمات الظلم "Oppression is (many types of) darkness on the day of judgement."

Hadith twenty four

Beware of pretention

Mahmood ibn Lubid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

الريا االصغر الشرك عليكم اخاف ما اخوف "I fear that you do not fear lesser polytheism; ostentation."24

23 Muslim. 24 Imam Ahmed with hassan chain.

Hadith twenty five

Lying is a sign of a hypocrite


خان ائتمن واذا اخاف وعد اذاو كذب حدث اذا ثالث افقنالم آية "The signs of a hypocrite are three: if he speaks he lies, he breaks his promise and he breaks it and if he is given a trust he deceives."25 They have the addition from Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him),

فجر خاصم اذا "He becomes obscene when arguing."

Hadith twenty six

Harming a believer is harmful

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

كفر وقتاله فسوق المسلم سباب "Cursing a believer is like sinning openly and fighting him is ingratitude."26

25 Al-Bukhari and Muslim. 26 Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Hadith twenty seven

Beware of thinking badly of someone


الحديث كذب الظن فان والظن اياكم "Beware of thinking badly (of someone) because conjecture is the worst of lies."27

Hadith twenty eight

Avoid angry

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man came to the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) and asked,

تغضب ال قال مرارا فرد د تغضب ال قال أوصنييارسولهللا “O Messenger of Allah, advise me.” He replied, “Do not be angry.” He asked repeatedly. He said, “Do not be angry.”28

27 Al-Bukhari and Muslim. 28 Al-Bukhari 6116, At-Tirmidhi 2020, Imam Ahmed 2/362, 466.

Hadith twenty nine


وا وال تباغض وا وال تناجش وا وال تحاسد وا ال بيع على بعض ك م يبع وال تدابر بعض سلم إخوانا هللا عباد وك ون وا سلم أخو الم ه ال الم ه وال يخذ ل ه وال يظلم الت قوى يحقر نا ات ثالث صدره إلى وي شير هه سلم أخاه يحقر أن الش ر من امرئ بحسب مر الم

سلم ك ل سلم على الم ه : حرام الم وعرض ه ومال ه دم

“Do not envy one another, do not swindle one another, do not hate one another, do not turn your backs on one another, do not trade something at the cost of someone else. Be brethren, servants of Allah. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim; he does not oppress, betray or despise him. Piety is here.” He indicated to his chest three times. “It is sufficient evil for a person that he despises his fellow Muslim. All Muslims have these things unlawful from a Muslim: their blood, their wealth and their honour.”29

Hadith thirty

Avoid dishonourable character

Qutabah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

واآلراء واالهواء واالعمال االخالق منكرات جنبي اللهم

29 Al-Bukhari 5143, 6064, 6066, 6824, Muslim 2563, Abu Dawood 4918, At-Tirmidhi 1988, Imam Ahmed 2/288, 312, 342.

"O Allah cause me to avoid dishonourable character, actions, passions and opinions."30

Hadith thirty one

Avoid mocking and jesting your brother

Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

فتخلفه موعدا تعده وال تمازحه وال اخاك تمار ال "Do not mock your brother and do not jest; do not make a promise and break it."31

Hadith thirty two

Be generous

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

الخلق سوء و البخل مؤمن في تجتمعان ال خصلتان "Two traits are not part of believer: miserliness and evil character."32

30 Al-Tirmidhi authenticated by Al-Hakim. 31 Al-Tirmidhi. 32 Al-Tirmidhi.

Hadith thirty three

Insulter bears sins


ستبان المظل وم يعتد لم ما البادئ فعلى قاال ما الم "Insulting each other is upon the one who initiated and not on the one who returned oppression."33

Hadith thirty four

Avoid obscenity

Abu Al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

البذيء الفاحش يبغض هللا ان "Allah detests the obscenity of the obscene."34

33 Muslim. 34 Al-Tirmidhi

Hadith thirty five

A believer does not...

Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

ذيبلا وال الفاحش ال و اللعان وال بالطعان المؤمن ليس "A believer does not curse, is not obscene, and does not harm."35

Hadith thirty six

Talebearers do not enter paradise

Hudayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

قتات الجنة يدخل ال "Talebearers do not enter paradise."36

35 Al-Tirmidhi rated hassan. Al-Hakim rated sahih. 36 Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Hadith thirty seven

Cursers are losers

Abu Al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

القيامة يوم شهداء وال شفعاء يكونون ال اللعانين ان "The cursers do not intercede and are not witnesses on the day of judgement."37

Hadith thirty eight

Walking proudly causes you great harm


غضبان عليه وهو هللا لقى مشيه في واختال نفسه في تعاظم من "Whoever magnifies himself and walks conceitedly; meets Allah whilst He is angry with him."38

37 Muslim. 38 Al-Hakim from trustworthy sources.

Hadith thirty nine

Allah detests the argumentative

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

الخصم االلد هللا الى الرجال ابغض "The most detested man according to Allah is he who persistently quarrels."39

Hadith forty

Look at your sins and not the sins of others

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

الناس عيوب عن عيبه شغله لمن طوبي "Blessed is he who is busy with his own sins from the sins of people."40

39 Muslim. 40 Al-Bazzar with hassan chain.

Hadith forty one

Perfect your character and actions

Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,

االفعال محاسن كمال و االخالق مكارم بتمام بعثني هللا ان "Allah only sent me to complete honourable character and perfect excellent actions."41

We pray that Allah accepts this translation, forgives our families, teachers and all the Muslims. May endless and countless blessings be showered upon the final Messenger (may Allah bestow upon him peace and blessings), always and forever, upon his family, the Awliyah and all the Prophets and Messengers. This translation was completed on 6th Ramadan 1435/5th July 2014 by Arfan Shah (Straight Translations and Sheikhy notes).

41 Al-Baghawi.

40 hadith honourable character and warning of evil conduct by sheikh yusuf al-nabahani

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