Islam Hadiths, Nawawi, 40 Hadiths, Hadiths 37-39

Imam Nawawi’s Forty Hadith: Hadith 37, 38, and 39: Allah’s Infinite Benevolence, Allah’s Friend (wali), Forgiveness

I have been studying al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith. Many Muslims regard them to be the best introduction the traditions of Muhammad that, after the Qur’an, form the basis of Islam.

I have been learning from Ali Gomaa, the Grand Mufti of Egypt.

Below are ahadith 37-39 compiled by al-Nawawi, first in Arabic and then in English,

عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما ، عن رسول الله صلى الله علية وسلم فيما يرويه عن ربه تبارك وتعالى ، قال : ( إن الله تعالى كتب الحسنات والسيئات ، ثم بين ذلك ، فمن هم بحسنة فلم يعملها كتبها الله عنده حسنة كاملة ، وإن هم بها فعملها كتبها الله تعالى عنده عشر حسنات إلى سبعمائة ضعف إلى أضعاف كثيرة ، وإن هم بسيئة فلم يعملها كتبها الله عنده حسنة كاملة ، وإن هم بها فعملها كتبها الله عنده سيئة واحدة ).
رواه البخاري [ رقم : 6491 ] ومسلم [ رقم : 131 ] في ( صحيحيهما ) بهذه الحروف

On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas, (radi allahu anhu) ¹Arabic to English translation, May Allah be pleased with him., from the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu 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. The Quran commands Muslims to use this, or like expression, when referring to Muhammad and promises to reward them ten times from what he has related from his Lord, tabaaraka wa ta’alaa, that He said :

Verily Allah ta’alaa ³Arabic to English translation meaning, Almighty. has written down the Good deeds and the Evil deeds, and then explained it [by saying] : Whosoever intended to perform a Good deed, but did not do it, then Allah writes it down with Himself as a complete Good deed. And if he intended to perform it and then did perform it, then Allah writes it down with Himself as from ten Good deeds upto seven hundred times, upto many times multiplied. And if he intended to perform an Evil deed, but did not do it, then Allah writes it down with Him as a complete Good deed. And if he intended it [ie. the evil deed] and then performed it, then Allah writes it down as one Evil deed.

It was related by Bukhari and Muslim in their two Saheehs in these words.

Hadith 38 compiled by Imam Nawawi, first in Arabic and then the English translation of the Arabic,

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه ، قال : قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم : ( إن الله تعالى قال : من عادى لي وليا فقد آذنته بالحرب ، وما تقرب إلي عبدي بشيء أحب إلي مما افترضته عليه ، ولا يزال عبدي يتقرب إلي بالنوافل حتي أحبه ، فإذا أحببته كنت سمعه الذي يسمع به ، وبصره الذي يبصر فيه ، ويده التي يبطش بها ، ورجله التي يمشي بها ، ولئن سألني لأعـطينه ، ولئن استعاذ ني لأعيذ نه ).
رواه البخاري [ رقم : 6502 ]

On the authority of Abu Hurairah (radi allahu ‘anhu ⁴Arabic to English translation, May Allah be pleased with him. who said : The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ⁵Arabic 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 :

Verily Allah ta’alaa ⁶Arabic to English translation meaning, Almighty. has said: Whosoever shows enmity to a walee (friend) of Mine, then I have declared war against him. And My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved to Me than the religious duties I have obligated upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to me with nawaafil (supererogatory) deeds until I Love him. When I Love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to seek refuge with Me, I would surely grant him refuge.

It was related by al-Bukhari

Hadith 39 compiled by Imam Nawawi, first in Arabic and then in English,

عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما ، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : ( إن الله تجاوز لي عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيان وما استكرهوا عليه ).
حديث حسن ، رواه ابن ماجه [ رقم : 2045 ] والبيهقي [ ( السنن ) 7 / 356 ] وغيرهما

On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (radi allahu anhuma ⁷Arabic to English translation, May Allah be pleased with them.) that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ⁸Arabic 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. The Quran commands Muslims to use this, or like expression, when referring to Muhammad and promises to reward them ten times. said:

Verily Allah has pardoned [or been lenient with] for me my Ummah [community of Muslim believers]: their mistakes, their forgetfulness, and that which they have been forced to do under duress.

A Hasan hadeeth related by Ibn Maajah, and al-Bayhaqee and others.

Ali Gomaa’s Explanation of Hadeeth 37, 38 and 39

In the following video Ali Gomaa teaches about the 37th (0:00-4:20) and 38th (4:21-8:09) and 39th (8:10-9:24) hadiths compiled by an-Nawawi. My notes follow.

Hadith 37: Allah’s Infinite Benevolence (000-4:20)

Imam An-Nawawi gives the following commentary on this hadith:

So look [at this], my brother, and may Allah grant us the ability to recognise the immense benevolence of Allah ta’alaa ⁹Arabic to English translation meaning, Almighty., and to contemplate these words. And His statement “with Himself” indicates His interest and concern for it. And His statement “a complete [Good deed]” is for emphasis and expressing the strength of His concern. And He said regarding the Evil deed that one intends to do but then leaves acting upon it : “Allah writes it down with Him as a complete Good deed”, so He emphasised it with completeness. And if he acts upon it : “then Allah writes it down as one Evil deed”, so He emphasised its smallness by mentioning it as a single deed, and He did not describe it with ‘completeness’. So for Allah is all Praise and Grace, subhaanahu, and we cannot enumerate His Praises. And from Allah is the tawfeeq [ability] for attaining His Pleasure.

Hadith 37 is a hadith qudsi meaning that Allah is speaking but this revelation is expressed in Muhammad’s words. Muslims therefore do not believe it to be the “word of God” whereas they believe the Qur’an is the word of God because it comes directly from Allah (see comments on hadith 24).

2:19-3:41

“This is a great hadith because it signifies the relationship between the slave and his Lord. It also shows Allah’s infinite favors over us. This hadith means that if I decided to do a good deed, it is written as one. If I do it, it is written as 10 to 700 or maybe more: thousands or millions. Reaching an infinite number. It depends on one’s intention, the important [importance] of the action and its effect on people. And sincerity. So, there are many things that Allah takes into consideration.”

“However, if I decided to do a bad deed, but then did not, it will be written down as a good deed. If I do it, then it will be written down as a single bad deed. Thus, He awards infinitely when it comes to good deeds, but gives so little when it comes to bad ones. This is because he is the most merciful and the most generous. His majesty transcended everything. No praise of him is as His praises of Himself.”

3:51-4:18

“For he who seeks guidance away from the Qur’an and the Prophet’s sunnah will go astray. He is under the delusion that he is on the right path. He is even more deluded that he brags about what he did, which does not please Allah, His Prophet (SAWS), or the believers.”

Christianity and Hadith 37

Here we have some of the principle differences between Christianity and Islam. Christinity emphasizes that God’s infinite benevolence centers upon Jesus, and Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and gift of the Holy Spirit. God’s infinite mercy is rooted in His justice.

On the other hand, Islam’s emphasis on Allah’s mercy is not rooted in justice.

Ali Gomaa points says, “For he who seeks guidance away from the Qur’an and the Prophet’s sunnah will go astray.” Christians say that the guidance of Islam has already strayed from God’s revelation (2 John 9). Ali Gomaa speaks of delusion, but Muslims are deluded in thinking they are pleasing God by rejecting God’s revelation in Jesus.

It is not a good work to reject Jesus’ teaching. It is not a good work to deny God’s work in history by rejecting the death of Jesus on the cross. It is not a good work to deny that Jesus is the Son of God. It is not a good work to reject the revelation of Scripture in favor of the revelation of the Qur’an and ahadith.

Hadith 38: Drawing Near to Allah Through Good Deeds (4:21-8:09)

This is another hadith qudsi.

5:12-5:56

Whoever shows enmity to a wali (friend of Mind), I shall be at war with him – Ali Gomaa explains the Arabic wali saying, “Wally in Arabic follows wasmi. Wasmi means the first drops of rain that is shortly followed by wali. Thus, wali is so close to Allah (SWT). Allah says, “Whoever shows enmity to a wali of Mine.” Wali is anyone close to Allah, under His protection, and in His company. “I shall be at war with him.” For Allah defends those who believed.”

Hadith 39: Allah’s forgiveness (8:10-9:24)

8:43-9:19

“The difference between a “fault” and a “sin” lies in the intent. As for forgetfulness, one is not judged for it as it is from Allah. He does not forget on purpose.”

“He is not judged for what he had been forced to do…Thus, this hadith equals that one that says, “Actions are but by intention. Because intention is all that counts in case of faults, forgetfulness, and compulsion.”

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