Home > The 40 Hadith of Nawawi > Hadith 22 of Nawawi
Hadith number 22 of the collection of the 40 hadiths of Imam an-Nawawi, in a faithful English translation.
Updated on 10 September 2026 at 2:45 AM
📖 16 min readThis hadith belongs to the collection of the 40 hadiths of Imam an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), the most studied hadith compilation in the world: foundations of faith, worship and character, all authentic narrations.
make lawful its lawful, forbid its unlawful, distorting it not from its places.
What is meant by prohibition and licensing is acting the lawful, avoiding the unlawful, as mentioned in this hadith. Allah, the Most High, said, of the disbelievers changing the sacred months' prohibition:
"The postponed month is but an addition in disbelief: the disbelievers are led astray thereby: making it lawful one year, forbidding it a year: agreeing with Allah's forbidden count."
At-Tawba, 37
Meaning: they fought in a sacred month one year, licensing it thereby; abstained fighting a year, forbidding it thereby. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said:
"O you who believe! Forbid not the good things Allah made lawful you, transgress not: Allah loves not transgressors. Eat of what Allah provided you, lawful and good."
Al-Ma'ida, 87-88
This verse descended because of a people abstaining from taking some good things, by world-detachment and austerity; some forbade it themselves, by sworn oath or self-prohibition: none of that forbids the thing itself; some abstained without oath or prohibition: all named prohibition, intending abstention: harming the soul and withholding its desires.
It is said in examples: "so-and-so neither licenses nor forbids," when he abstains not doing the unlawful, nor stops when permitted: though believing the unlawful forbidden: they make whoever did the unlawful unguarded a licensor, though believing not its lawfulness. In any case, this hadith indicates whoever performs the obligations and abstains from prohibitions enters Paradise.
The hadiths from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in this meaning, or near, are multiple (tawatur): an-Nasa'i, Ibn Hibban and al-Hakim report from Abu Hurayra's and Abu Sa'id's hadith, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "No servant praying the five prayers, fasting Ramadan, giving zakat, and avoiding the seven majors: but Paradise's gates open for him: entering by whichever he wills." Then he recited:
"If you avoid the majors of what you are forbidden: We expiate your evils, and admit you an honorable entrance."
An-Nisa, 31
Imam Ahmad and an-Nasa'i report from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari's hadith, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "Whoever worships Allah associating nothing with Him, establishes prayer, gives zakat, fasts Ramadan, and avoids the majors: Paradise is his due, or he enters Paradise." In the Musnad, from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both: Dammam ibn Tha'laba delegated to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): he mentioned the five prayers, fasting, zakat, pilgrimage, and Islam's laws all; finishing, he said: I testify there is no deity but Allah, and Muhammad is Allah's messenger; I will perform these obligations, avoid what you forbade me: adding nothing, diminishing nothing. He said (the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "were he truthful: he enters Paradise." At-Tabarani reports it by another route; in his hadith he says: "and the fifth profits me naught," meaning the indecencies; then said: "I will avoid them; whoever obeys me": the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "were he truthful: he will enter Paradise." In the Sahih of al-Bukhari, from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him: a man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): inform me a deed admitting me Paradise. He said: "Worship Allah associating nothing, establish prayer, give zakat, and maintain kinship." Muslim reports it, except with him he says: "inform me a deed nearing me Paradise and distancing me the Fire." With him, in a narration, when he turned, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "were he to hold what commanded, he enters Paradise." In the two authentic collections, from Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him: a Bedouin said: O Messenger of Allah! Direct me a deed: doing it, I enter Paradise. He said: "Worship Allah associating nothing, establish the prescribed prayer, give the obligatory zakat, and fast Ramadan." He said: by Him sending you truth: I add nothing ever, nor diminish. When he left, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever delights beholding a man of Paradise's people: behold this one." In the two authentic collections, from Talha ibn Ubayd Allah, may Allah be pleased with him: a Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), hair unkempt, saying: O Messenger of Allah! Inform me what Allah prescribed me of prayer. He said: "the five prayers, unless you volunteer something." He said: inform me what Allah prescribed me of fasting. He said: "Ramadan's month, unless you volunteer something." He said: inform me what Allah prescribed me of zakat. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) informed him Islam's laws: he said: by Him honoring you truth: I volunteer nothing, nor diminish of what Allah prescribed me anything. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "he succeeded, if truthful"; or: "he enters Paradise, if truthful." Its wording is al-Bukhari's. In the Sahih of Muslim, from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him: a Bedouin asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): he mentions it in meaning, adding: "the House's pilgrimage for whoever finds a way." He said: by Him sending you truth: I add not, nor diminish. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "were he truthful: he will enter Paradise."
The Bedouin's intent: adding not over the prescribed prayer, obligatory zakat, Ramadan's fast, and the House's pilgrimage anything voluntary: not abandoning Islam's other laws and obligations.
In these hadiths avoiding prohibitions is not mentioned: the asker asked the deeds entering their doer Paradise: these are the deeds.
These are the deeds
At-Tirmidhi reports from Abu Umama's hadith, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) preach at the farewell pilgrimage, saying: "O people! Fear Allah, pray your five, fast your month, give your wealths' zakat, and obey your commander: you enter your Lord's Paradise." He said: good, authentic. Imam Ahmad reports it: with him: "worship your Lord," replacing his word: "fear Allah." Buqi ibn Makhlad reports it in his Musnad by another route, his hadith's wording: "pray your five, fast your month, pilgrimage your House, give your wealths' zakat, souls content: you enter your Lord's Paradise." Imam Ahmad reports by his chain from Ibn al-Muntafiq, who said: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) at Arafat saying: two things I ask: what saves me the Fire, and what admits me Paradise? He said: "brief in asking, you asked great: restrain from me then: worship Allah associating nothing, establish the prescribed prayer, give the obligatory zakat, fast Ramadan, and what you love people doing you: do them; what you hate coming to you: leave it them." Another narration of his: "fear Allah associating nothing, establish prayer, give zakat, pilgrimage the House, fast Ramadan": adding no more. Said: this Companion is Banu al-Muntafiq's delegate, named Laqit. These deeds are sufficient Paradise-entry causes.
Committing prohibitions may be obstacles: indicated by Imam Ahmad's report from Amr ibn Murra al-Juhani's hadith, who said: a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying: O Messenger of Allah! I testify there is no deity but Allah, and that you are Allah's messenger; I prayed the five, gave my wealth's zakat, fasted Ramadan's month? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "whoever dies upon this is with the prophets, the truthful and martyrs on the Resurrection Day, thus," raising his two fingers, "unless he disobeys his parents."
Paradise-entry by performing some of these deeds, like prayer, came: the famous hadith: "whoever prays the prayers at their times has with Allah a pact admitting him Paradise." The authentic hadith: "whoever prays the two cold prayers enters Paradise."
Deeds sufficing not without other deeds
All this is the sufficient cause's mention, deed completing not but by conditions' gathering and obstacles' absence: indicated by Imam Ahmad's report from Bashir ibn al-Khasasiyya, who said: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) swearing allegiance: he conditioned me testifying there is no deity but Allah, Muhammad His servant and messenger, establishing prayer, giving zakat, Islam's pilgrimage, fasting Ramadan, and striving Allah's path. I said: O Messenger of Allah! Two, by Allah, I bear not: jihad, and charity. (They claimed whoever gives the rear bears Allah's anger: fearing that state's arrival, my soul eager, hating death; charity: by Allah, only booty and ten camels, my family's load and mounts.) The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) seized his hand, moving it, saying: "neither jihad nor charity: whereby enter you Paradise then?" I said: then, O Messenger of Allah: I swear you allegiance. I swore him all.
In this hadith: these attributes suffice not Paradise-entry without zakat and jihad. Authentic hadiths establish committing some majors prevents Paradise-entry: his word: "none enters Paradise the unjust"; his word: "none enters Paradise with an ant's weight of pride in his heart"; his word: "you enter not Paradise until believing, believing not until loving one another." By debt: hadiths came Paradise-entry prevented until payment. By injustices: the authentic collection: believers crossing the Bridge, detained at a span: injustices between them in the world requited. By sin: some predecessors say: "a man may be detained at Paradise's gate a hundred years by a sin he did in the world." All obstacles.
Hence other hadiths' meaning appears: Paradise-entry by mere oneness: the two authentic collections, from Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "No servant saying: there is no deity but Allah, dying upon that: but enters Paradise." I said: though fornicating and stealing? He said: "though fornicating and stealing," thrice; fourth: "despite Abu Dharr's nose!" Abu Dharr left saying: though Abu Dharr's nose be humbled! The two, from Ubada ibn as-Samit, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "Whoever testifies there is no deity but Allah alone, without partner, Muhammad His servant and messenger, Isa Allah's servant and messenger, His word cast into Maryam, a spirit from Him, Paradise true, the Fire true: Allah admits him Paradise, upon whatever deed." In the Sahih of Muslim, from Abu Hurayra or Abu Sa'id (with doubt), from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), that he said: "Whoever testifies there is no deity but Allah, and I am Allah's messenger: meets Allah with these two, a servant doubting neither, screened not from Paradise." In it, from Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told him one day: "Whoever you meet testifying there is no deity but Allah, heart convinced: give him Paradise's glad tidings." In the meaning hadiths very many. The two authentic collections, from Anas: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told Mu'adh one day: "No servant testifying there is no deity but Allah, and Muhammad His servant and messenger, but Allah forbids him the Fire." The two, from Itban ibn Malik, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "Allah has forbidden the Fire whoever says: there is no deity but Allah, seeking Allah's face thereby."
Some scholars said: the oneness word is a sufficient Paradise-entry and Fire-salvation cause: but has conditions: bringing obligations; and obstacles: avoiding majors.
Salvation's condition by the oneness word
Al-Hasan told al-Farazdaq: "there is no deity but Allah has conditions: beware casting on the protected." He is reported: "this is the pole: where the cords?" The oneness word is the tent's pole: the tent stands not without cords: obligations' deeds and prohibitions' leaving. Al-Hasan was told: people say: whoever says there is no deity but Allah enters Paradise? He said: "whoever says there is no deity but Allah, fulfilling its right and obligations: enters Paradise." Wahb ibn Munabbih was told: is there no deity but Allah Paradise's key? He said: "yes: but no key without teeth: coming with a toothed key, it opens; else opens not." Like Ibn Umar's report: asked the oneness word: does deed harm with it as deed profits not with its leaving? Ibn Umar said: "count ten, be not beguiled."
Some of them, among them ad-Dahhak and az-Zuhri, said: this was before obligations and punishments. Some indicated abrogation: others: conditions added: condition-addition abrogation or not? Famous theorists' disagreement. All has observation: many hadiths later than obligations and punishments. Ath-Thawri said: "obligations and punishments abrogated it": possibly his intent theirs: possibly intent that obligations' and punishments' obligation shows by it world-punishments drop not by mere two testimonies: likewise Hereafter punishments. Such explanation and ambiguity-removal predecessors called abrogation: not technical famous abrogation.
Some said: these absolute texts came restricted: saying with truth and sincerity: truth and sincerity preventing persistence in disobedience. Al-Hasan's mursal reports, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Whoever says there is no deity but Allah sincerely: enters Paradise." Said: its sincerity? He said: "it withholds you from what Allah forbade." Reported connected by other weak routes.
Al-Hasan perhaps indicated by his reported speech this: the heart realizing the oneness word's meaning, its truth and sincerity requiring Allah's divinization alone entrenched: by veneration, awe, fear, love, hope, exaltation and trust: filling thereby: creatures' divinization excluded: when so, nothing remains of love, will, seeking what Allah wills not and loves not: souls' passions, wills, devil's whispers excluded from the heart. Whoever loves a thing or obeys it, loving and hating by it: it is his god. Whoever loves and hates only for Allah, allies and opposes only for Him: Allah truly his god.
Whoever loves for his desire, hates for it, allies and opposes by it: his desire is his god, as the Most High said:
"Have you seen whoever takes his desire as his god?"
Al-Furqan, 43
Al-Hasan said: "he who desires nothing but boarding it." Qatada said: "he who each desiring boards it, each craving attains it: no scrupulousness or piety withholding." Abu Umama's hadith is reported raised: "No god worshipped besides Allah under heaven's shade greater with Allah than a followed desire." Obeying the devil in Allah's disobedience worships him likewise: as Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said:
"Did I not covenant you, O sons of Adam, worshipping not the devil? He is your manifest enemy."
Ya-Sin, 60
It appears thereby the oneness word's meaning realizes truly only for one whose heart has no persistence loving what Allah hates, nor willing what Allah wills not: any of that in the heart: tawhid deficiency: hidden association kind. Mujahid, at His word:
"Associate nothing with Him."
An-Nisa, 48
said: "love none besides Me." In al-Hakim's Sahih, from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "Association is subtler than the ant's walk on the rock in the dark night: its nearest: loving upon injustice, hating upon justice: what is religion but love and hate? Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says:"
"Say: loving Allah, follow me: Allah loves you."
Al Imran, 31
[Loving what Allah hates: association:] Text: loving what Allah hates, hating what Allah loves: following desire, allying and opposing thereby: hidden association. Ibn Abi al-Dunya reports from Anas's hadith, raised: "there is no deity but Allah" "keeps withholding servants from Allah's anger so long as they prefer not their world over their religion's bargain: preferring their world's bargain to their religion, saying then: there is no deity but Allah: Allah returns it them, saying: you lied."
His saying's meaning appears thereby: "whoever testifies there is no deity but Allah, truthful of heart: Allah forbids him the Fire": whoever of this word's people enters the Fire: by truth's scarcity saying it: the word true: purifying the heart of all but Allah: whoever truthful saying "there is no deity but Allah" loves none besides, hopes Him alone, fears none but Allah, trusts Allah alone: no remainder of soul's trace and desire. Remaining heart-trace of other than Allah: truth's scarcity in its saying.
Of oneness's effects
Hell's fire extinguishes by the monotheists' faith light: the famous hadith: "the Fire says the believer: draw near, O believer: your light extinguished my flame." Imam Ahmad's Musnad, from Jabir, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "none remains righteous or wicked but entering it: upon believers coolness and peace, as upon Ibrahim: the Fire even has clamor of their coolness." This is inheritance believers inherited of Ibrahim's state, upon him peace and salvation: love's fire in believers' hearts, Hell's fire fears. Al-Junayd, may Allah have mercy on him, said: the Fire said: O Lord! Were I not obeying You, would You punish me with aught harder than I? He said: yes: My greater fire over you I would reign. She said: is there fire greater and harder than I? He said: yes: My love's fire, dwelling My believing friends' hearts. Hereof some say: "in the lover's heart is desire's fire... hotter than Hell's fire: the coldest of them." Mu'adh's hadith witnesses this meaning, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "Whoever's last word is: there is no deity but Allah: enters Paradise." The dying says it scarcely but with sincerity, repentance, regret of the past, resolve never returning to like. Al-Khattabi preferred this view in a monograph on oneness: good.