Matan Arba'in: Third Hadith

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Narrated by Abi Abdul Rahman Abdullah Ibnu Umar bin al-Khattab r.a he said, I heard that the messenger of the God, Muhammad s.a.w said, Islam is built on five which are witnessing that there is no gods except the God and Muhammad is the messenger of the God and performing salat services and performing purification of properties and pilgrimage to the House and fasting a full month of Ramadan. Hadith reported by Bukhari and Muslim.

Explanation:

Islam is built on five matters...

Those who perform the five pillars of Islam and performing all of their requirements, his nature and religion is counted as perfect as a house which is built complete with its pillars and all of its necessities. Hence, the house which is not perfectly built due to the lack of necessities and pillars is equated to a person who does not adhere to requirements of the pillars of religion. Said the messenger of the God, Muhammad s.a.w “the salat services are pillars of the divine law of life, those who leave it, his divine way of life is in disaster.”

The five pillars of religion is the basis where Islam and the nature were re-established. Other religious works are decorations for the building (religion). There is a mention a hadith about faith has more than 70 sub-branches. However, its highest pillar is the statement with oral and heart statement of “there is no gods except the God.” The lowest of faith is to expel thorns or obstacles from the middle of a road.

Said the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w, and performing pilgrimage to the House and fasting a full month of Ramadan is only at the statement but the first obligation to be performed by every sane Muslims is the fasting of lunar month, Ramadan. In other narrations, obligation to fast is being mentioned first.

 

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad. Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!  

Matan Arba'in Hadith: Second Hadith I

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Praise be to the Lord of the Universe, we had already done with the first hadith about the 'amal (practice) is with the niyyah (intention) and it determines our sincerity in our worship and practices. Now we would further our exploration to the second hadith about what is deen (law of life)? How do we define our religion? Our faith? 

I had talked about this in previous post, about my conversation through messages to one of our respectable tabligh brother after I encountered few incidents with the jama'at members. I would talk about this hadith again. I am not bored of it and hoping to memorize everything to be my witness in His Court! I wish brothers and sisters to also do the same when you are free because everyone must be saved by the God.  

Reported by Umar bin al-Khattab may Allah be pleased with him, he said: "One day when we sit with the messenger of the God may Allah be in connection with him, came an anonymous man which his cloth is extremely white and his hair is extremely black without any sign that he traveled far to reach the place. Nobody of us know him. He sat in front of the messenger of the God and his knees met the knees of the messenger of the God and he put his hands on the hands of the messenger of the God. 

He said: "tell me about the submission to Him (Islam)!" Said the messenger of the God: "Indeed it is when you testify that there is no gods but only the God and indeed Muhammad is the messenger of the God, and when you perform salaat, and when you pay the zakaah, and fasting in the month of Ramadhan, and performing pilgrimage to the holy House of the Lord whenever you are able to travel there. Thus he said: "You are indeed speaking the truth!" We were so surprised to see that he asked the question and he testifies the answers. 

Then the man said: "Tell me what is faith?" The messenger of the God said: "It is indeed when you have the faith in the God, His angels, His revelation and scriptures, His messengers, the Day that will come, and you have faith in divine predestination whether it is good or evil. He said: "You are speaking the truth!" 

Then he further said: "Thus now tell me what is ihsaan?" The messenger of the God answers: "It is when you worship and submit yourself to Him as you see Him and if your physical eyes could not see Him, He still monitoring on you. Then the man asked: "Now tell me when is the Day?!" The messenger of the God answers: "You who ask me know better." Then the man said: "What is the signs when it is nigh to you?" The messenger of the God said: "When masters are born from the slaves, the lowly paupers who had never wears shoes and living their life naked and rearing goats. You would see these people building high towers and big houses." Later the man just raise up and went out of the place of assembly. 

I just keep my silence for few days and the messenger of the God asked me one day: "O Umar, do you know who is that man who asked me few questions that day?" I said: "Only He and His messenger know that better." The messenger of the God then tells me: "He is Gabriel peace be upon him, and he came to teach all of you your deen (religion)."" - narrated by Muslim.       

Explanation

At the phrase, said the archangel Gabriel, "tell me about the faith..." It emphasizes that the faith is when we believe and agree with whatever being told by something or someone. This is the basic meaning in Arabic. The faith in this hadith emphasizes that we believe in few things which had already widely known. It is in the pillars of faith and the pillars of the religion. Pillars of faith represents our iman, pillars of Islam represents our 'amal as faithful Muslims, while ihsaan represents our sincerity toward Allah the Lord of the Universe, Glory be only to Him.

Again my personal feeling about this hadith. It is the first hadith that I encountered during my time of infidelity where it deeply gives impact to me. After I did the meditations and pujas according to Buddhist ways during my heart is full with hatred toward myself and surrounding. I came across this hadith while I was alone. My hairs standing and I was so scared... Maybe some remnants of faith about angels still exist in my heart, because I still believe in bodhisatvas (angels) according to 'some' Buddhist traditions though I didn't 'properly' believe in the God.

Insya-Allah we would talk further about the explanation of this hadith. I have the notes with me and I'm trying to simplify them in English. I hope to share with my beloved brothers and sisters for our practices as faithful Muslims. I have to attend the evening congregational salaat services in the mosque. May Allah bless everyone, amin!