Hadith Sahih Bukhari : What is Islam Iman and Ehsan

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

بِسمِ اللہ ِالرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحِیم

اَلحَمدُ للہِ رَبِّ العٰلَمِینَ وَالصَّلَاۃُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلٰی رَسُولِہِ الاَمِینِ وَالعَاقِبَۃُ لِلمُتَّقِینَ، اَمَّا بَعدُ

“Allahumma salli ala muhammad wa’alaa aali muhammad kama sallaita ala ibrahima a’alaa aali ibrahima innaka hamidum majeed, Allahumma baarik alaa muhammad wa’alaa aali muhammad kama barakta ala ibrahima wa’ala aali ibrahima innaka hameedum majeed”

“The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions”

(Sahih Bukhari – 01, 54, 2529, 3898, 5070, 6689, 6953 Sahih Muslim – 1907, Al-Nisa 4:163)

And the statement of Allah جَلَّ ذِکرُہُ : “Verily, We have sent the revelation to you (O Muhammad ﷺ) as We sent the revelation to Noad and the Prophets after him.” V. 4 : 163)

1. Narrated ‘Umar bin Khattab رضی اللّٰہُ عنہ : I heard Allah’s Messenger ﷺ saying, “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrates for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration will be for what he emigrated for.”

Note : The Prophet ﷺ said this on the occasion of someone’s emigration form Makkah to Al-Madina not for the sake of the Islamic Cause but to marry a woman who had stipulated that he should emigrate if he wanted to marry her. Anyhow, this Hadith implies a general principle, i.e, one is reward for his deeds according to his real intentions and not according to his actual deeds which might be good in themselves but were motivated by an ill intention.

What Is Al-Iman (Faith)? Explaining Its Characteristics

Sahih Muslim [97] 5 – (9) and Sahih Bukhari [50] Surah Luqman 31:34

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah رضی اللّٰہُ عنہ said: “One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ appeared before the people and there came to him a man who said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, What is Faith?’ He said: ‘To believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, the meeting with Him, and His Messengers, and to believe in the Resurrection Hereafter.’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, What is Islam? He said: ‘Islam is to worship Allah and not associate anything with Him, to establish the prescribed Salat, to pay the obligatory Zakat, and to observe Fast (The months of Ramadan.)’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, What is Al-Ihsan?’ He said: ‘It is to worship Allah as though you can see Him, for although you cannot see Him, He indeed sees you.’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, When is the Hour? He said: ‘The one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking, But I shall tell you of its portents: When the slave woman gives birth to her mistress, that is one of its portents. When the barefoot and naked become the leaders of the people, that is one of its portents. When the herdsmen of sheep complete in the construction of lofty buildings, that is on of its portents. The Hour is one of the five things that no one knows except Allah.’ Then he recited: “Verily, Allah, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware (of things).” (Luqman 31:34). He (Abu Hurairah) said: “Then the man went away, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Bring the man back to me. They went to bring him back, but they did not see anything. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘That was Jibril, who came to teach the people their religion.””

The Statement of Allah : “Verily, Allah! With Him (Alone) the the knowledge of the Hour…” (V.31:34)

Sahih Bukhari : 4777 Luqman 31:34 Narrated Abu Hurairah رضی اللّٰہُ عنہ : One day, while Allah’s Messenger ﷺ was sitting with the people, a man came to him walking and said, “O Allah’s Messenger! What is Faith?” The Prophet ﷺ said “Faith is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Meeting with Him, and to believe in the Resurrection.” The man asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! What is Islam?” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “Islam is to worship Allah Alone and not to worship besides Him, to perform Iqamat-as-Salat, to pay Zakat and to observe Saum (fasts) during the month of Ramadan.” The man further asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! What is Ihsan (perfection or benevolence)?” The Prophet ﷺ said , “Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not achieve this state of devotion, then (you must consider that) Allah is looking at you.” The man further asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! When will the Hour be established?” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “The answerer has no better knowledge that the questioner. But I will describe to your its portents. When a lady slave gives birth to her mistress, that will be of its portents; when the bare-footed naked people become the chiefs of the people; that will be of its portents. The Hour is one of the five things which nobody knows except Allah.”) The Prophet ﷺ then recited),

“Verily, Allah! With Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour. He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will ear tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die,…” (V. 31:34) The that man left. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Call him back to me.” They went to call him back but could not see him. The Prophet ﷺ said, “That was (the angel) Jibril (Gabriel) who came to teach the people their religion.”