The Book of Virtues

"‏ مَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْهُ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ وَمَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِهِ فَافْعَلُوا مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فَإِنَّمَا أَهْلَكَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ كَثْرَةُ مَسَائِلِهِمْ وَاخْتِلاَفُهُمْ عَلَى أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ ‏"

Avoid that which I forbid you to do and do that which I command you to do to the best of your capacity. Verily the people before you went to their doom because they had put too many questions to their Prophets and then disagreed with their teachings.

وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي خَلَفٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، - وَهُوَ مَنْصُورُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ الْخُزَاعِيُّ - أَخْبَرَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ الْهَادِ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ سَوَاءً ‏.‏

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ibn Shihab with the same chain of transmitters.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ، نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي كِلاَهُمَا، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُغِيرَةُ يَعْنِي الْحِزَامِيَّ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، كُلُّهُمْ قَالَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ ذَرُونِي مَا تَرَكْتُكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَفِي حَدِيثِ هَمَّامٍ ‏"‏ مَا تُرِكْتُمْ فَإِنَّمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ ذَكَرُوا نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ وَأَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏.‏

Abandon that which I have asked you to abandon, for the people before you went to their doom (for asking too many questions).

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ يَحْيَى، عَنْ عَبَّاسِ بْنِ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم غَزْوَةَ تَبُوكَ فَأَتَيْنَا وَادِيَ الْقُرَى عَلَى حَدِيقَةٍ لاِمْرَأَةٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ اخْرُصُوهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَخَرَصْنَاهَا وَخَرَصَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَشْرَةَ أَوْسُقٍ وَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَحْصِيهَا حَتَّى نَرْجِعَ إِلَيْكِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَانْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا تَبُوكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ سَتَهُبُّ عَلَيْكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ رِيحٌ شَدِيدَةٌ فَلاَ يَقُمْ فِيهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ فَمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ بَعِيرٌ فَلْيَشُدَّ عِقَالَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَهَبَّتْ رِيحٌ شَدِيدَةٌ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ فَحَمَلَتْهُ الرِّيحُ حَتَّى أَلْقَتْهُ بِجَبَلَىْ طَيِّئٍ وَجَاءَ رَسُولُ ابْنِ الْعَلْمَاءِ صَاحِبِ أَيْلَةَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِكِتَابٍ وَأَهْدَى لَهُ بَغْلَةً بَيْضَاءَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَهْدَى لَهُ بُرْدًا ثُمَّ أَقْبَلْنَا حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا وَادِيَ الْقُرَى فَسَأَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَرْأَةَ عَنْ حَدِيقَتِهَا ‏"‏ كَمْ بَلَغَ ثَمَرُهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ عَشَرَةَ أَوْسُقٍ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ إِنِّي مُسْرِعٌ فَمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ فَلْيُسْرِعْ مَعِيَ وَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيَمْكُثْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَخَرَجْنَا حَتَّى أَشْرَفْنَا عَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ هَذِهِ طَابَةُ وَهَذَا أُحُدٌ وَهُوَ جَبَلٌ يُحِبُّنَا وَنُحِبُّهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ خَيْرَ دُورِ الأَنْصَارِ دَارُ بَنِي النَّجَّارِ ثُمَّ دَارُ بَنِي عَبْدِ الأَشْهَلِ ثُمَّ دَارُ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْخَزْرَجِ ثُمَّ دَارُ بَنِي سَاعِدَةَ وَفِي كُلِّ دُورِ الأَنْصَارِ خَيْرٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَلَحِقَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ فَقَالَ أَبُو أُسَيْدٍ أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَيَّرَ دُورَ الأَنْصَارِ فَجَعَلَنَا آخِرًا ‏.‏ فَأَدْرَكَ سَعْدٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ خَيَّرْتَ دُورَ الأَنْصَارِ فَجَعَلْتَنَا آخِرًا ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَوَلَيْسَ بِحَسْبِكُمْ أَنْ تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْخِيَارِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

We went out with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on the expedition to Tabuk and we came to a wadi where there was a garden belonging to a woman. Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said. Make an assessment (of the price of its fruit). And Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) also made an assessment and it was ten wasqs. He asked that lady (to calculate the amount) until they would, God willing, come back to her. So we proceeded on until we came to Tabuk and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: The violent storm will overtake you during the night, so none amongst you should stand up and he who has a camel with him should hobble it firmly. A violent storm blew and a person who had stood up was carried away by the storm and thrown between the mountains of Tayy. Then the messenger of the son of al 'Alma', the ruler of Aila, came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) with a letter and a gift of a white mule. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) wrote him (the reply) and presented him a cloak. We came back until we halted in the Wadi al-Qura. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked that lady about her garden and the price of the fruits in that. She said: Ten wasqs. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: I am going to depart, and he who amongst you wishes may depart with me but he who wants to stay may stay. We resumed the journey until we came to the outskirts of Medina. (It was at this time) that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: This is Taba, this is Uhud, that is a mountain which loves us and we love it, and then said: The best amongst the houses of the Ansar is the house of Bani Najjar. Then the house of Bani Abd al-Ashhal, then the house of Bani Abd al-Harith b. Khazraj, then the house of Bani Sa'ida, and there is goodness in all the houses of the Ansar. Said b. Ubada came to us and Abu Usaid said to him: Did you not see that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has declared the houses of the Ansar good and he has kept us at the end. Said met Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said: Allah's Messenger, you have declared the house of the Ansar as good and have kept us at the end, whereupon he said: Is it not enough for you that you have been counted amongst the good.

"‏ وَفِي كُلِّ دُورِ الأَنْصَارِ خَيْرٌ ‏"

There is good in all the houses of the Ansar, and there is no mention of the subsequent event pertaining to Sa'd b. 'Ubada.

"‏ نَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالشَّكِّ مِنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِذْ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِي كَيْفَ تُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى ‏.‏ قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قَالَ بَلَى وَلَكِنْ لِيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي ‏.‏ وَيَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ لُوطًا لَقَدْ كَانَ يَأْوِي إِلَى رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ وَلَوْ لَبِثْتُ فِي السِّجْنِ طُولَ لَبْثِ يُوسُفَ لأَجَبْتُ الدَّاعِيَ ‏"

We have more claim to doubt than Ibrahim (peace be upon him) when he said, My Lord, show me how thou wilt quicken the dead. He said: Believeth thou not? He said: Yes, but that my heart rest at ease (the Holy Qur'an. 260). May Lord have mercy on Lot that he wanted a strong support and had I stayed in the prison as long as Yusuf stayed I would have responded to him who invited me.

وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ إِنْ، شَاءَ اللَّهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَسْمَاءَ حَدَّثَنَا جُوَيْرِيَةُ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَنَّ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيَّبِ، وَأَبَا، عُبَيْدٍ أَخْبَرَاهُ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَعْنَى حَدِيثِ يُونُسَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ ‏.‏

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri through another chain of transmitters.

"‏ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لِلُوطٍ إِنَّهُ أَوَى إِلَى رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ ‏"

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira through another chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.

"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى كِنَانَةَ مِنْ وَلَدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَاصْطَفَى قُرَيْشًا مِنْ كِنَانَةَ وَاصْطَفَى مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَاصْطَفَانِي مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ ‏"

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Verily Allah granted eminence to Kinana from amongst the descendants of Isma'il, and he granted eminence to the Quraish amongst Kinana, and he granted eminence to Banu Hashim amonsgst the Quraish, and he granted me eminence from the tribe of Banu Hashim.

"‏ إِنِّي لأَعْرِفُ حَجَرًا بِمَكَّةَ كَانَ يُسَلِّمُ عَلَىَّ قَبْلَ أَنْ أُبْعَثَ إِنِّي لأَعْرِفُهُ الآنَ ‏"

I recognise the stone in Mecca which used to pay me salutations before my advent as a Prophet and I recognise that even now.