Al-Nawawi and Hadeeth 7: Advice and Guidance
In my study of al-Nawawi and the forty hadeeth I have been learning from the Muslim scholar, Ali Goma.
Here is the seventh hadeeth compiled by al-Nawawi, first in Arabic and then in English,
عن أبـي رقــيـة تمـيم بن أوس الـداري رضي الله عنه ، أن النبي صلى الله عـليه وسـلم قـال : ( الـديـن النصيحة ).
قلنا : لمن ؟؟
قال : ( الله ، ولـكـتـابـه ، ولـرسـولـه ، ولأ ئـمـة الـمـسـلـمـيـن وعــامـتهم ) رواه مسلم [ رقم : 55 ]On the authority of Abu Ruqayya Tameem ibn Aus ad-Daaree (radi Allaahu anhu) that the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
‘The Deen (religion) is naseehah (advice/sincerity)’. We said ‘To whom?’ He said ‘To Allah and His Book, and His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.’
[Related by Muslim (صحيح مسلم)]
Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa’s Teaching About Imam Nawawi’s Seventh Hadeeth
Listen to the Islamic scholar from Egypt, Ali Gomaa teach about advice and guidance. I have listened to Ali Gomaa for several hours and would compare him to the Christian teacher, R.C. Sproul. If you want to learn about Christianity from a Christian, I can’t think of a better person than R.C. Sproul. Thankfully, Ali Gomaa’s teaching has been translated with English subtitles. Some of R.C. Sproul’s is available with Arabic subtitles. 1If you have abilities in translating, editing, or voiceover work, please contact Ligionier Ministries volunteer coordinator at 800-435-4343 or by email at volunteer@ligonier.org My notes follow,
0:48-1:35
“This is a hadith that Al-Imam An-Nawawi finds to be, essential in establishing the Muslim mindset of scholars and general Muslims, and one of of the basic foundations of religion. It is a wholesome and significant hadith of the Prophet (SAWS). It is a hadith best described as one of the key ahadith. It brings out an unveils a lot of the principles of the Islamic law, and a lot about the path to Allah (SWT). This is the significance and benefit of the forty ahadith collected by Imam An-Nawawi.
2:24-4:36
“‘Hajj is Arafah’. So if one of us does not stand during hajj on mount Arafat, and missed this glorious moment of standing on Arafat, then he did not perform hajj. The hajj is invalid, for standing on Arafat is one of the basic pillars of a ccomplete hajj. So, hajj is Arafah and hajj is not valid without Arafah. Similarly, religion is not valid without guidance. This linguistic syntax is used to highlight significance, and how one thing forms the foundation of another. It means that the absence of that thing, being Arafat or guidance, invalidates the other thing, being hajj or religion. Muslims have attempted to imitate the same style of the hadith,. They formulated a principle that reflects a fact mentioned in many Qur’anic verses and ahadith, but in a different linguistic structure. They said, ‘Religion is a name of treatment and relationships’. This principle is neither a Qur’anic verse nor a hadith, and it was not even narrated by our righteous forefathers. It is a novel statement. Religion is, in effect, a relationship between mankind and Allah, and about one’s relationship with himself, with the universe, and with others. So indeed, religion is a name of treatment and relationships. Religion is also a collection of manners, commands, prohibitions, and decrees, which empower man to treat other mankind with honesty and truth, and with clarity and mercy.”
Here we see a principle difference between Islam and Christianity: grace. Grace is God’s demerited favor; God giving us what we did not deserve: Christ’s righteousness and giving Jesus what we deserved: wrath.
5:23-6:15
Advice
“…Muslims must offer advice purely for the sake of Allah. There is a difference between guidance and disgrace. Advice and guidance are sincere, and for advice to be sincere it must be confidential, and offered calmly. It has to be constructive, with sincere wishes for well-being. Moreover, it has to be based on knowledge. It has to be free from any form of arrogance, malice, or gloating. For when one is earnestly sincere in his advice, he will find ears and hearts ready to receive it.”
Christianity and the Sunnah of Muhammad
In my studies I have also found Timothy Tennent’s Christian perspective most helpful (“Role of Tradition“).
https://www.biblicaltraining.org/role-tradition/islam
Related Posts
- Six Reasons I’m Studying Hadeeth
- Introduction to Nawawi’s Forty Hadeeth
- Hadeeth 1 from Nawawi’s Forty Hadeeth: Actions and Intentions
- Hadeeth 2 from Nawawi’s Forty Hadeeth: Gabriel Questions Muhammad about the Principles of Islam
- Hadeeth 3 from Nawawi’s Forty Hadeeth: The Five Pillars of Islam
- Hadeeth 4 from Nawawi’s Forty Hadeeth: Abortion and When Does Life Begin?
- Hadeeth 5 from Nawawi’s Forty Hadeeth: Nawawi: Innovation and Islam
- Hadeeth 6 from Nawawi’s Forty Hadeeth: Halal, Haram, and the Heart (Things Permitted and Prohibited)
- Islam Hadiths: Hadith 8, Nawawi Forty Hadiths: Jihad, No Complusion in Religion
References
