Nawawi’s Forty Hadiths: Hadith 25 taught by Sheikh Gomaa: The Different Kinds of Charity Allah Rewards
A hadith (plural ahadith) is an account of what Muhammad said or did, or of his tacit approval of something said or done in his presence (Encyclopaedia of Islam). It is important to study the hadiths because they are part of the sayings, actions, and approvals of Muhammad (sunnah). Muslims sometimes say, “Know that Islam is the Sunnah, and the Sunnah is Islam” meaning that one cannot be established without the other.
There are thousands of hadiths, and over the centuries scholars have made different compilations of “Forty Hadith”. This practice goes back to various traditions in which Muhammad allegedley said, “Whichever Muslim learns forty hadith by heart will be raised on the Day of Judgment with sholars and jurists”. Nawawi’s collection focused on the principles of Islam.
Imam Nawawi (631 – 676 A.H / 1234 – 1278 A.D.) was a classical Islamic scholar; he lived and died in the 13th century and is remembered for his compiliation of 42 traditions of Muhammad (ahadith). I have been studying this compilation by listening and learning from the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Ali Gomaa. Ali Gomaa says that Nawawi’s Forty Hadity is “One of the best books written about the Prophets (SAWS) hadith” and that Nawawi is “a gift from Allah to us, to the Shafi’i school, to Arabs, and to all Muslims.”
Here is the twenty-fifth hadith compiledy by al-Nawawi, first in Arabic and then the English translation of the Arabic,
عن أبي ذر رضي الله عنه أيضا ، أن ناسًا من أصحاب رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم قالوا للنبي صلي الله عليه وسلم : يا رسول الله ذهب أهل الدثور بالاجور ؛ يصلون كما نصلي ، ويصومون كما نصوم ، ويـتـصـد قــون بفـضـول أمـوالهم . قـال : ( أولـيـس قـد جعـل الله لكم ما تصدقون ؟ إن لكم بكل تسبيحة صدقة ، وكل تكبيرة صدقة ، وكل تحميدة صدقة ، وكل تهليلة صدقة ، وأمر بالمعروف صدقة ، ونهي عن المنكر صدقة ، وفي بعض أحـد كم صـدقـة ). قالوا : يا رسول الله ، أيأتي أحدنا شهوته ويكون له فيها أجر؟ قال : ( أرأيتم لو وضعها في حرام ، أكان عليه وزر ؟ فكذلك إذا وضعها في الحلال ، كان له أجر ). رواه مسلم [ رقم : 1006
Also on the authority of Abu Dharr (radi allahu anhu) 1Arabic to English translation, May Allah be pleased with him. that some people from amongst the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) 2Arabic to English translation meaning, May Allah bless him and grant him peace. Often abbreviated SAWS. This Arabic phrase is used after references to Muhammad and his titles. said to the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam):
O Messenger of Allah, the affluent have made off with the rewards; they pray as we pray, they fast as we fast, and they give [much] in charity by virtue of their wealth.
He (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
Has not Allah made things for you to give in charity ? Truly every tasbeehah/tasbih [saying: subhaan Allah] is a charity, and every takbeerah/takbir [saying: Allaahu akbar] is a charity, and every tahmeedah/tahmid [saying: al-hamdu lillaah] is a charity, and every tahleelah/tahlil [saying: laa ilaaha illaa Allaah] is a charity. And commanding the good is a charity, and forbidding an evil is a charity, and in the bud’i [sexual act] of each one of you there is a charity.
Muslims believe Sahih Muslim (a.k.a. Muslim) is one of the most important and authentic collections of revelation after the Quran. Sahih Muslim provides Muslims with guidance and ethics.
They said : O Messenger of Allah, when one of us fulfils his carnal desire will he have some reward for that ?!
He (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said : Do you not see that if he were to act upon it [his desire] in an unlawful manner then he would be deserving of punishment ? Likewise, if he were to act upon it in a lawful manner then he will be deserving of a reward.
It was related by Muslim (صحيح مسلم).
Ali Gomaa’s Explanation of the Twenty-Fifth Hadith
Listen to the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Ali Gomaa (على جمعة) teach about hadith 25. My notes follow,
In Islam, Allah is remembered or Zikris performed in saying things like:
Muslims recite different phrases used to “remember” God such as:
Subhan’Allah – سبحان الله “Glory be to Allah”. This is also called the tasbeeh.
Allahu Akbar – الله أَكْبَر “Allah is Greater”. This is also called the takbir.
Alhamdulillah – الحمد لله “All praise is due to Allah”. This is also called the tahmid.
La ilaha ilallah – لا إله إلا الله “There is no god but Allah”. This is also called the tahlil.
0:24-2:06
“In this hadith, the poor complain to the Prophet, that the rich took all the rewards, because they have wealth which they can give away, which the poor do not possess such wealth. The Prophet taught them that sadaqah (charity) puts out sins as water puts out fire; that we should avoid hellfire even with half a date. This is devoutness to Allah. The Prophet taught them that sadaqah is a great thing. Hence they looked towards the rich and asked the Prophet about this matter. The Prophet explained that rich and poor people are equal, and that the poor can worship Allah same as the rich. Maybe even more than the rich. Therefore, he guided them to dhikr (the remembrance of Allah [ذکر, pl.اذكار ] also spelled Zikr) and to direct their intentions in all their deeds. As for dhikr, Allah (SWT) 3Abbreviation for the Arabic phrase, Subhanahu wa ta’ala. This expression is used after using the name Allah. The English translation means “highly praised and glorified is He.”praised and decreed it in His book, and classified its parts for the believers.”
6:27-7:42
“When the rich heard this hadith, they persisted in tasbih, takbir, tahmid and tahlil. The poor went back to the Prophet complaining. They said, “O Messenger, the rich heard what you have said, so they started tasbih, takbir, and tahmid. This way, the poor could not compete with them, because they were distinguised by the wealth Allah granted them. The Prophet ended this kind of competition quoting from the Qur’an, “That is the Grace of Allah (that) He brings to whomever He decides.” If Allah (SWT) helped the rich to be pious, and added of His grace the blessing of worship, then this is the grace of Allah that He brings to whomever He pleases.”
Islam, Christianity, Poverty, and Remembering
Jesus’ teaching on poverty and giving is most striking compared to Muhammad,
As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Gospel of Luke, Chapter 21, Verses 1-4)
Remembering is very important in the Christian Scriptures. In fact, it appears that there is a relationship between the Arabic word zikr, and the Hebrew word, zakar, for remember.
However, the emphasis on remembering seems to be different. In Christianity, the emphasis on remembering has to do with God’s work in history. The Fourth Commandment requires God’s people to remember God’s work in creation and redemption (Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15). God’s people were to remember, during the Passover, God’s deliverance of them from Egypt. It was during the Feast of the Passover that Jesus insituted the Lord’s Supper in which Christians remember Jesus’ death on the cross for sin (Luke 22:19-20).
Muslims do not remember and do not believe in one of the most events in history which is commemorated by the Lord’s Supper – Jesus’ death for sin.
Feel free to share your comments and recommendations to help further my study and understanding.
Arabic to English translation meaning, May Allah bless him and grant him peace. Often abbreviated SAWS. This Arabic phrase is used after references to Muhammad and his titles.
Abbreviation for the Arabic phrase, Subhanahu wa ta’ala. This expression is used after using the name Allah. The English translation means “highly praised and glorified is He.”
