Al-Arba’in of Imam as-Suyuti

Written by: Saad Mahmood
Edited by: Muhammed Tahmid Ahmed

The following are notes taken from a course delivered online from December 2024 to January 2025 on the 40 Hadiths Collection of Imam as-Suyuti (RA), also known as Al-Arba‘in Hadithan fi Qawa‘id min al-Ahkam al-Shar‘iyyah al-Suyuti or “The Forty Hadiths On the Principles of Legal Judgements, Virtuous Actions, and Ascetism”.

The original text in Arabic has been added in before the commentary of the teacher delivering the class. It can be found in a PDF form here. The translation for the hadiths has been taken from the short book published by Turath Publishing and translated by Aisha Bewley. It can be found here.

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Reminder

There are various forms of shukr (gratitude), but one of the most important is using the limbs to display shukr. When seeking ‘ilm (knowledge), all of the limbs and major senses are engaged in this endeavour.

The best thing you could do in your entire week is to learn or listen to something from the ahadith (hadiths) or fiqh (jurisprudence).

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Introduction to the Course

This is a swift reading of Al-Arba’in, but what does “swift reading” mean?

There are four types of learning:

1. Detailed Study: Learning line-by-line and reading the sharh (commentary) and hawashi (footnotes).
2. Moderate Detail: Not studying the text word-for-word but still relatively detailed, as is common at university.
3. Maqra-style Reading: Covering a decent amount of content in a short time without delving deeply into the content.
4. Maqra: A gathering where people read major books of hadith. The teacher may make brief comments, but the main aim is to complete the reading in a few days. 

The learning objectives primarily include:

• The barakah (blessing) of reading.
• Learning chains of narration (ijazah).
• Memorisation.

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Introduction to Imam as-Suyuti

Imam as-Suyuti was a famous polymath scholar from As-Suyut in Egypt who lived approximately in the 9th/10th century AH (15th/16th Century CE).

Background

• His mother was Turkish, and his father was Persian, so he was not ethnically Arab.
• He memorised the Qur’an at the age of eight and began studying Islamic sciences at fifteen.

Prominence and Scholarship

• Imam as-Suyuti became so prominent that he evoked jealousy in others.
• He travelled extensively to study and teach, while also engaging in scholarly discourse.

Scholarly Connections

• Imam al-Bulqini (the teacher of Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani) was his contemporary.
• He also studied with scholars like Imam as-Sarkhawi and many others.

Writings

• Co-authored the famous Jalalayn with Imam al-Mahalli, who passed away before completing it.
• Authored significant works on Ulum al-Qur’an and Tafsir, including al-Itqan.

Approach to Scholarship

• Imam as-Suyuti was a renowned Ash’ari theologian but often quoted scholars like Ibn al-Qayyim (who was from a different theological school) on various topics.
• Scholars of his time would openly reference others’ contributions, even if they held differing views. This reflects a spirit of mutual respect and acknowledgement of proficiency.

Legacy

• Authored between 600 to 1,000 treatises.
• At the age of forty, he withdrew from public teaching to focus entirely on writing.

His final work was on the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, for which he made dua for acceptance.

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Text Introduction

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 الحمد لله والشكر لله، والصلاة والسلام علي سيدنا محمد رسُول الله

هذه أربعون حديثاً من الصحاح والحسان، جمعتها في قواعد من الأحكام الشرعية، وفضائل الأعمال، والزهد وغير ذلك، عملاً بالحديث الوارد في ذلك، لعل الله أن يحشرني في زمرة العلماء بمنه وكرمه آمين

Praise belongs to Allah, and thanks be to Allah. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. These are forty sound and excellent hadiths which I have collected, on the rules of legal judgements, virutous actions, ascetism and other things. so as to act by the hadiths on those subjects. It may be that Allah Almighty will gather me in the company of the scholars, by His grace and generosity.

This collection by Imam as-Suyuti covers principles of rulings, virtues of deeds, and asceticism, with the hope of being raised among the ranks of the scholars. The commentator mentions that some of these ahadith are weak but were included by the Imam as they were gathered to act upon the famous ahadith. In addition, the Imam at the end alludes to the hadith on memorising forty ahadith which is valid here and still applies to weak ahadith. The Arabic word hafazah used in the alluded hadith refers to memorising and passing on ahadith to others; after writing became common, ahadith were not memorised as frequently but became better preserved through documentation. Regarding their understanding, the muhaddithun (hadith scholars) did not always prioritise this when “preserving” ahadith—their aim was often just collection, leaving others to handle understanding, verification, and commentary. Some muhaddithun even collected seemingly contradictory ahadith to show readers that they were aware of differing narrations and to emphasise which ahadith they considered stronger.

Hadith 1 – Intentions

إنما الأعمال بالنيات [صحيح]

Actions are only judged according to intentions.

Many chains exist, but people say that Umar (RA)’s is the most authentic one; it should be studied regularly, not just for tazkiyah but also for fiqh purposes.

Hadith 2 – Innovation

من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو رد [صحيح]

If anyone innovates anything in this concern of ours which is not part of it, it is to be rejected.

Of course, this relates to staying away from bid’ah; the second hadith—its order being significant as it follows intention—emphasises the importance of being careful to avoid innovation, with the principle of takhallī qabl taḥallī (i.e., draining or cleaning the vessel before adding clean water and drinking from it).

Hadith 3 – The Five Pillars

 بني الإسلام على خمس : شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله ، وأن محمدا عبده ورسوله ، وإقام الصلاة ، وإيتاء الزكاة، والحج، وصوم رمضان [صحيح]

Islam is based on five [acts]: testifying that there is no god but Allah ﷻ  and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ﷻ; establishing the prayer; paying zakāt; performing hajj; and fasting Ramadan.

There are different narrations which place sawm before hajj.

Hadith 4 – Surah al-Fatihah

لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب [صحيح] 

Whoever does not recite Fatihat al-Kitāb has no prayer.

This issue is general but has significant differences of opinion. The Shafi’is are likely the strictest, holding that munfarid (individuals praying alone) and followers in jama’ah must recite Al-Fatihah. The Hanafis consider the Imam’s recitation sufficient (qira’ah). The main dalil (evidence) against the Shafi’i position is the Quranic verse about remaining silent when the Quran is recited. Consequently, the Hanbalis state that it is mustahabb (recommended) to recite in silent prayers but not when the Imam is reciting aloud.

Hadith 5 – Using the Miswak

لولا أن أشق على أمتي لأمرتهم بالسواك عند كل صلاة [صحيح] 

Were it not that it would be hard on my Community, I would have commanded them to use the siwak for every prayer.

This indicates the virtue of the siwak. Imam an-Nawawi states that to use it is sunnah at all times, but especially during wudu, before salah, before reciting the Quran, after waking from sleep, and after anything that causes bad breath (including prolonged fasting). Another hadith mentions that it “cleanses the mouth and pleases the Lord.” [Riyad as-Salihin 1202]

Hadith 6 – Performing Prayer Whilst Hungry or Needing the Toilet

لا صلاة بحضرة طعام ولا وهو يدافعه الأخبثان [صحيح]

No prayer should be performed at the time when food has been served, or when one needs to urinate or defecate.

This does not mean that in every single situation when food arrives or you need the toilet, you cannot pray—it is not mutlaq (absolute). Only if you are very hungry, to the point that it would distract you, or if the food might spoil while you pray, can you delay the prayer slightly. There is a hadith where the Prophet ﷺ was cutting meat when the adhan was called; he stopped cutting and went to pray, not finishing the task. [Sahih al-Bukhari 5408]. It is better to pray without significant distraction if you can.

Hadith 7 – Fornication and the Attribution of Lineage

الولد للفراش، وللعاهر الحجر [صحيح] 

The child is for the bed, and stones are for the adulterer.

The child is attributed to the bed it is born into, and the fornicator is stoned. This refers to an incident from the time of Jahiliyyah involving Utbah ibn Abi Waqqas, who had relations with a slave girl, resulting in the birth of a child. After the conquest of Makkah, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) wanted to claim the child under his lineage, but the slave girl sought to attribute the child to herself.

Hadith 8 – Suckling and Lineage

يحرم من الرضاع ما يحرم من النسب [صحيح] 

Suckling makes unlawful that which lineage makes unlawful.

It is prohibited through suckling (from someone other than the birth mother) in the same way as what is prohibited through lineage. That is, the one who suckles a child essentially becomes family and mahram to that person after a certain point, and marriage becomes impermissible. This is based on the hadith of Aishah (RA), which mentions that five suckles are required for this to be the case, as per an ayah that was revealed but later abrogated, whilst the hukm (ruling) remained.

Hadith 9 – Taking Back Gifts

العائد في هبته كالعائد في قيئه [صحيح]

He who takes back his gift is like someone who goes back to his vomit.

You should not ask for a gift back after you have given it. Another hadith states: “Give gifts, and you will bring about love among yourselves.” [Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 594]

Hadith 10 – Best of Actions

خير أعمالكم الصلاة [ضعيف]

The best of your actions is to perform the prayer.

The commentator mentions that this hadith is weak. However, it is well-known that salah will be the first thing you will be questioned about. You should dedicate time to it and perform it with quality, as doing so brings barakah and is one of the best ways to maintain a relationship with Allah ﷻ.

Hadith 11 – Most Beloved of Actions

أحب الأعمال إلى الله الصلاة لوقتها [صحيح]

The most beloved of actions to Allah ﷻ is the prayer in its time.

Another narration specifically mentions the virtue of praying at the beginning of its time. You have a duty to ensure that your family members are praying and, where possible, to encourage them, even if they are adults. Performing the obligatory acts in the best possible way is one of the key ways to draw closer to Allah ﷻ. For men, this is through salah in jama’ah, and for women, it may be taking their time to pray with focus, even if they are in a rush to prepare food or pick up the children.

Hadith 12 – Fasting

الصيام جنة [صحيح]

Fasting is a shield.

Fasting is a junnah—a shield and protection. The word is linked to jannah and jinn through its asl (linguistic root), meaning something concealed. The connection to jannah lies in how Allah ﷻ hides your sins, and the concealment within jannah itself is reflected in its trees and shade. Furthermore, a shield protects your vulnerabilities, allowing you to hide behind it for safety and strength.

Hadith 13 – The Intention to Fast

لا صيام لمن لم يبيت [ضعيف رفعاً، صحيح موقوفاً]

No fast [is recorded] for him who does not make the intention [to fast] in the night.

According to the Shafi’is and others, the intention for fardh siyam (obligatory fasts) must be made or renewed every night, as evidenced by the laam an-nafiyah (negation) at the start of the hadith. However, the Malikis and Hanbalis permit making the intention once at the beginning of Ramadan.

Hadith 14 – Divorce

أبغض الحلال إلى الله الطلاق [ضعيف]

Divorce is the most hated of lawful things in the sight of Allah ﷻ.

Many say this is weak with many chains but that the understanding is correct (i.e. Allah ﷻ does not like divorce but does not forbid it to His slaves to make things easy for them). For some individuals, they should have waited for ease, whilst others made the right choice to divorce. Those that are married should do everything possible to make things work prior to divorce (counselling, etc.). Of course, sometimes it needs to be done (for e.g., valid reasons for divorce include: infidelity, abuse, rights not being fulfilled, etc.), though, if you have children, you should think thoroughly about divorce, more than if you do not.

Hadith 15 – The Din Is Goodwill

الدين النصيحة [صحيح]

The din is goodwill.

This is a shorter part of a longer hadith which has been discussed in numerous commentaries of Imam an-Nawawi’s collection of forty ahadith.

Hadith 16 – Cheating People

من غشنا فليس منا [صحيح]

Whoever cheats is not one of us.

Whoever cheats (in transactions) is not from one of us, i.e. not making defects of products clear, etc., irrespective of whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim.

Hadith 17 – Leaving Doubtful Matters

دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبك [صحيح]

Leave what causes you doubt for what does not cause you doubt.

Leave that which you doubt for that which you do not doubt (either with Islamic rulings or general things), especially financial transactions and investments (in the modern age).

Hadith 18 – Desiring for Others What You Love For Yourself

لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى يحب لأخيه ما يحب لنفسه [صحيح]

None of you is truly a believer until he desires for his brother what he desires for himself.

A commonly mentioned hadith, akhi here can refer to brother in mankind (not just brother in Islam). We can learn from it that Muslims should be aware of having their own cliques. There is no issue in giving to non-Muslims or their causes, e.g. a dog’s charity. The mercy in your heart should extend to all of creation. The Rasul ﷺ would get upset because he knew the fate of the non-Muslims if they did not accept Islam. You should want Allah ﷻ to have rahmah (mercy) on them and hidayah (guidance) for them; you cannot do that if you hate them (contrary to what some may say about hating them, though, of course, you can hate the kufr or disbelief). It is possible that they may be ignorant or sat on the fence in their disbelief.

Hadith 19 – Seeking Knowledge

طلب العلم فريضة على كل مسلم [ضعيف]

Seeking knowledge is a duty for every Muslim.

The 14th century historian and sociologist Ibn Khaldun mentions in his Muqaddimah that what separates us from the rest of creation is the ability to think and make connections to different elements and bring order to things. The intellect is what allows us to progress. However, our default is ignorance, and we can only gain knowledge by understanding the correct sequence of events, and this is what grants us the ability to act. This is what allows us to worship Allah ﷻ  and obey the Prophet ﷺ properly (for e.g., doing wudu for salah). The concept of ‘ilm is critical. Every day should be spent learning, as this will bring barakah to your life.

There are, of course, two types of obligation: individual and communal, but there is also knowledge of objectives/maqasid and the knowledge of means/masaail. The former includes tafsir, hadith, etc., whilst the latter includes Arabic, Usul al-Fiqh, etc. If you want to go deep into the former, there is only so much you can learn before you have to master the latter. The student who wants to make learning a lifelong pursuit must learn the latter properly, and a major part of this is learning Arabic. The poet says,

أما ترى الماء بتكراره في الصخرة الصماء قد أثَّرا
Do you not see how water, through its constant repetition,
Has left its mark upon the solid rock?

Repetition is key. Age is irrelevant.

Hadith 20 – Avoiding Prohibtions and Following the Commands

ما نهيتكم عنه فاجتنبوه وما أمرتكم فافعلوا منه ما استطعتم [صحيح]

Avoid what I forbid you to do, and do as much as you can of what I command you to do.

Strive to stay away from the haram and do as much good as possible. Staying away from the haram more than doing lots of good deeds is better. However, there is a difference of opinion amongst the scholars and some flexibility in this principle.

Hadith 21 – Zuhd

ازهد في الدنيا يحبّك الله وازهد ما في أيدي الناس يحبّك الناس [ضعيف]

Make do with little in this world, and Allah ﷻ  will love you. Make do with little of what is in the hands of mankind, and people will love you.

The Arabic word izhad is a command from the Rasul ﷺ. It is also a hadith in Imam an-Nawawi’s collection. This particular statement was in response to a question by a companion of the Prophet ﷺ who asked: “Give me an action which will bring me the love of Allah ﷻ and the people.”

The word izhad relates to the concept of zuhd (ascetism). This is:

1. someone who is not overtaken by the dunya (not necessarily someone who has little wealth) and whose heart is not connected to it.
2. linguistically similar to a valley, where much water can flow through it but only a little remains. Similarly is the zahid (someone who practises zuhd).

So why does Allah ﷻ love the zahid? When someone is taken in by the zina (beautification) of the dunya, their heart is facing everything that pushes them away from Allah ﷻ. So the zahid actually actively faces themselves towards Allah ﷻ for the most part. The more one does this, the more Allah ﷻ loves them.

But what about the second part of this? How is it that people also love the zahid? People naturally compete with each other. People do not like that someone has something they do not have. And so when it does not necessarily matter to someone what someone else has, people feel more comfortable around them. Abu Ayyub as-Sakhtiani (a tabi’i or someone from the generation after the companions and saw at least one of them) said: “A person attains nobility by not wanting what someone else has and not overlooking their own faults.”

Hadith 22 – Lying about the Prophet ﷺ

من كذب علي متعمدا فليتبوأ مقعده من النار [صحيح]

Whoever lies about me deliberately, let him take his seat in the Fire.

A cornerstone of hadith methodology: The ma’na al-mihwari (central meaning) is basically that the meaning/truth of something has left quickly (from someone when they lie) and has become absent. This hadith also relates to narrating weak ahadith as there is a danger that it may be that you are narrating something that cannot be attributed to the Prophet ﷺ. Primarily, it refers to fabricated/mawdu ahadith. It is haram to narrate such ahadith except to mention them for a reason such as to warn people, i.e. about the fact that there is an intentional lie by the narrator. There is also matruk ahadith, where there is an accusation of lying in the chain.

Hadith 23 – Concealing Knowledge

من سئل عن علم فكتمه ألجمه الله بلجام من نار [صحيح]

If anyone is asked about knowledge and conceals it, Allah ﷻ  will bridle him with a bridle of fire.

Ilm here refers to shar’i knowledge (knowledge about the shari’ah). Allah ﷻ will bridle such a person with a bridle from the hellfire. One of the intentions when learning is for your own benefit. But also, ilm is learnt to be taught. It is not something you hide. It is a protection for the religion, not just yourself. You must spread ilm to your family, friends, etc. There is an element of fard kifayah (communal obligation) on those able to teach ilm.

If a friend asks you about whether their prayer is broken by doing something, if you know and are sure of the answer, you are obliged to share it, and by doing so, you will be rewarded. There is no shyness in this matter. Of course, you should not just be speaking about anything. If you’re 90% or more sure, then you should answer. If less than that, you can say, “I do not know,” and also point to someone who may be more knowledgeable.

Hadith 24 – Hearing Is Not Like Seeing

ليس الخبر كالمعاينة [صحيح]

[Hearing] a report is not like seeing something with one’s own eyes.

Hearing news about something is not like the one who can or has seen it. The latter has more validity or weight. The Quran says: “If an evildoer brings you any news, verify ˹it˺.” (Surah al-Hujurat, Verse 6). Verifying any information is important.

Hadith 25 – Being Courteous to People

مداراة الناس صدقة [ضعيف]

Courtesy to people is sadaqah.

Mudaraat refers to dealings/courtesy. It outlines the importance of interacting with people in an amicable, polite, and easy-going manner. If you have this particular approach, you will have a form of sadaqah (charity) recorded for you (which of course also carries reward with it if done with the right intention). Some people feel it is manly or stoic not to speak, or come into a room and try to own it. This is incorrect.

It is mentioned in the Shamail (collection of narrations about the manners, appearance, belongings, etc. of the Prophet ﷺ) that the Prophet ﷺ would hold handshakes to show affection to people, and to show that they are friends or brothers.

The hadith also refers to when people are impolite to you. The Quran says: “Respond ˹to evil˺ with what is best…” (Surah Fussilat, Verse 34). The sunnah shows that being polite to someone who is rude is rewardable and a sadaqah. Ibn Aqil said: “Deal with people that you even hate with politeness.” This is the sunnah. This is not hypocrisy, but rather, it can be a method of changing them.

There are many ways of saying things where you can maintain your own respect. It should be inculcated within yourselves and your children.

Hadith 26 – Sitting with Elders

البركة مع أكابركم [ضعيف]  

Blessing is found amongst your great men.

Barakah is sitting with elders. It is important to note that age is not necessarily a pre-condition for taking knowledge. Knowledge is one thing, but experience is part of learning, too. You must mix it up and take from those who are older as well as younger. The former will bring many valid experiences and lessons.

Modern science says cognitive ability decreases over time, but one of the things that gets stronger and better is weaving experiences with what what as been learnt (for those over 40). The Prophet ﷺ mentions that part of respect to Allah ﷻ  is respecting the elderly. (Riyad as-Salihin 354)

Hadith 27 – Secrecy in Gatherings

المجالس بالأمانة [ضعيف]

One’s companion is given a trust.

Social gatherings are with trust. When you are having a discussion with someone, generally, you should respect the sanctity of the conversation if it could be problematic if the details were shared with others or if you could not have known otherwise if they had not told you. The default in such situations is secrecy.

Hadith 28 – The Consulted One Is Trusted

المستشار مؤتمن [ضعيف]

One who is consulted is given a trust.

The one who is consulted is the one who is trusted. When consultation is sought from you, you are being trusted in that you will not cheat that person by saying the opposite of what the truth is (i.e. lying), even if it may be strict or harsh. This was exemplified by a sahabiyah who sought advice from the Prophet ﷺ regarding marriage proposals from two men, and he ﷺ guided her to choose another more suitable match. In our current time, consultation is extremely pertinent in the context of being asked about marrying someone, or even regarding business (or anything else), with potential bad consequences if you say the wrong thing.

Hadith 29 – Guiding Towards Goodness

من دل على خير فله مثل أجر فاعله [صحيح]

Whoever directs someone to what is good will receive a reward similar to the reward of the one who does it.

Look for opportunities in how you can benefit people. And Allah ﷻ is the Most Generous. If you cannot help them, just point them to someone else and you will still be rewarded for that.

Hadith 30 – The Believers Are Mirrors for Each Other

المؤمن مرآة المؤمن [ضعيف]

A believer is a mirror for another believer.

If an individual sees a defect in someone else, he will try to fix it. The brother is supposed to reflect your likeness in a good way. Tashbeeh (likeness) is used here. When you look at that person, you’re able to get a good indication of yourself. A believer is meant to help another believer become a better person. The believer is not always content with himself; he knows there are things he needs to improve on.

Hadith 31 – People Are on the Religion of Their Friends

المرء على دين خليله فلينظر أحدكم من يخالل [ضعيف]

People follow the din of their close friends, so let each of you watch who he takes as a close friend.

You should forge friendships with those who have a similar mizaaj (temperament). This does not mean you cannot be friends with others, but of course, there are different levels of loving friends.

Hadith 32 – The Believer Is Not Stung Twice

لا يلدغ المؤمن من جحر مرتين [صحيح]

A believer is not stung from the same hole twice.

Referring to being bitten by a venomous animal. The word juhr means a pit. A believer who is intelligent will not be hit by the same scenario twice. This applies to being conned once in a business deal as well.

It is narrated that a poet who used to insult the Prophet ﷺ was caught in Badr and later let go due to his poverty. But even after that, he continued to curse the Prophet ﷺ. He was caught in Uhud, and this was narrated, and he was killed even after pleading. This was done so that it would not be said that the Prophet ﷺ was betrayed twice. Betrayal is punishable by death in Islamic law (i.e., treason).

Hadith 33 – The Reward For Intercession

اشفعوا تؤجروا [صحيح]

Intercede, and you will be rewarded.

This alludes to helping and interceding with people who may be in trouble. “Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a share in the reward.” (Surah an-Nisa, Verse 85)

Hadith 34 – You Shall Be With Those Whom You Love

المرء مع من أحب [صحيح]

A man shall be with the one he loves.

The word hubb comes from habba, meaning a seed which must be nurtured repeatedly. It is said that this was mentioned in response to the question about the Hour (a commonly cited hadith). It indicates that loving someone (hubb) is a sign that you want to be with them. You must nurture the hubb of the Prophet ﷺ and Allah ﷻ. Your heart must be trained for the right intention. Sometimes, things become rote for you to do, but the intention must constantly be checked, and wanting fame must be avoided.

Hadith 35 – The Master of a People

 سيد القوم خادمهم [ضعيف]

The master of a people is their servant.

Some scholars said this was weak but correct in meaning, but whether it was actually said by the Prophet ﷺ is a different matter. You must be a servant to the people to truly embody leadership—this was the approach of the Khulafa Rashideen (the four rightly guided caliphs).

عن عبد الرحمن بن سمرة قال قال لي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يا عبد الرحمن بن سمرة لا تسأل الإمارة فإنك إن أعطيتها عن مسألة وكلت إليها وإن أعطيتها عن غير مسألة أعنت عليها

Abdur Rahman ibn Samurah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to me, “O Abdur Rahman, do not ask for authority! If it is given to you at your request, you will be held fully responsible for it. If it is given to you without your request, you will be helped by Allah in it.” [Mutafaqqun Alayhi]

Leadership comes via merit (ignoring the current state of world leaders). Allah ﷻ  will designate you as a leader when it is the right time. If you seek it too much, you may be in trouble later unless you’re someone like Yusuf (AS), who was an exception and knew he was the only one who could actually be a minister.

You can have uluww al-himma (high aspirations), but that does not necessarily mean you have to take a position of amanah (trust and responsibility). This is irrelevant to starting a business or something similar; it’s more related to governing between people.

There are some exceptions if you know you are the best person for the role. The issue, however, is that you are seeking it for your own sake, even though there may be others who are suitable. The higher you go, the more your niyyah (intention) may be mixed, reducing your ikhlas (sincerity) in your motivations. Whereas, if it is imposed upon you, then you are doing it because it needs to be done.

In addition, the lifestyle of Ayyub as-Sakhtiani (RA) relates to sincerity. It is reported about him that he would stand all night in prayer until dawn, at which point he would raise his voice to pretend that he had just started praying for anyone that may have been around or with him.

Hadith 36 – The Morning Time Is Blessed

اللهم بارك لأمتي في بكورها [ضعيف]

O Allah ﷻ, bless my Community in their earliness.

An important hadith – the morning has a lot of barakah. The Prophet ﷺ would send out people in the morning. The salaf traded in the mornings to gain more profit. Some scholars have said it is disliked to sleep after fajr. There is a lot of barakah if you can get used to it (e.g., Ibn al-Qayyim).

Hadith 37 – The Believer Is Friendly

المؤمن يألف ويؤلف ولا خير فيمن لا يألف ولا يؤلف [ضعيف]

The believer is friendly, and there is no good in someone who is neither friendly nor is treated in a friendly way.

The concept of friendliness/being easy-going is part of the sunnah. There may be some people who are not friendly, and that may just be their mizaaj (temperament), but those who are friendly have a big impact on people. The Prophet ﷺ is described as, “when he turned to someone, he would face them with his whole body.” This attentive gesture made everyone feel uniquely valued, and striving to emulate this beautiful example is a worthy practice.

Hadith 38 – Actions Are According to Their Conclusions

إنما الأعمال بخواتيمها [صحيح]

Actions are according to their final conclusions.

This has two interpretations:

1. Someone may do good deeds but be an arms length away from Jannah, and then qadr (destiny) will take over, causing them to end up in Hell (based on the famous hadith).
2. Some scholars did not like this interpretation due to its potential to make people lazy in effort. They argued that if someone is constantly doing good deeds, why would their fate suddenly change? They said this hadith and the ‘arms length’ hadith relate to good deeds that appear to be good but are not being done for the sake of Allah ﷻ. It specifically relates to the sahabi, who was famous for battling, but Allah ﷻ revealed he would go to Hell.

There is no major issue in taking the first understanding, as Allah ﷻ guides whomever He wills. However, we hope for the best, knowing that if Allah ﷻ wants acceptance for you, He ﷻ generally makes your final actions good.

Hadith 39 – Sending Prayers for the Prophet ﷺ

من صلى علي واحدة صلى الله عليه عشرا [صحيح]

If someone prays for me once, Allah ﷻ prays ten times for him.

One should strive to send as much salawat as possible. It is one of the greatest ways of removing burdens and grief. It holds a lot of barakah, and it is something we are very deficient in.

Hadith 40 – A Person’s Last Words

من كان آخر كلامه لا إله إلا الله دخل الجنة [حسن]

If a person’s last words are ‘There is no god but Allah ﷻ,’ He will enter the Garden.

We ask Allah ﷻ to allow this for all of us.

And Allah ﷻ knows best.