Home > The 40 Hadith of Nawawi > Hadith 28 of Nawawi
Hadith number 28 of the collection of the 40 hadiths of Imam an-Nawawi, in faithful English translation.
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Updated on 07 October 2026 at 4:51 AM
📖 38 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.
Ma'dane, except Thawr ibn Yazid. And he reported it from him also, Bahir ibn Sa'd, Mouhammad ibn Ibrahïm at-Taymi and others. I say, the affair is not as he believed, and the hadith is not according to their condition, for they reported nothing from 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn 'Amr as-Soulami nor from Houjr al-Kala'i, and they are not known for knowledge and transmission. Moreover, the disagreement over Khalid ibn Ma'dan was reported, as preceded. And it is reported from him, from Ibn Abi Bilal, from al-'Irbad. And Imam Ahmad reports it by this channel also. And it is reported from Damra ibn Habib, from 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn 'Amr as-Soulami, from al-'Irbad; Imam Ahmad and Ibn Majah report it by his channel, adding in his hadith, "and I left you upon the clear way, its night like its day: none deviates from it after me but the loser"; and he adds at the end of the hadith, "the believer is like the bridled camel, wherever it is held it obeys."
Part of the traditionists denied this addition at the end of the hadith, and said, it is inserted in the hadith and is not of it, Ahmad ibn Salih the Egyptian and others. And al-Hakim reports it, and says in his hadith, Asad ibn Wada'a added in this hadith, "the believer is like the bridled camel, wherever it is held it obeys." And Ibn Majah reports it also, from the narration of 'Abd Allah ibn al-'Ala ibn Zabr, Yahya ibn Abi al-Muta' informed me, I heard al-'Irbad, and he mentions it.
[The chain of the hadith:] This, in appearance, is a good and continuous isnad, its narrators reliable and famous, with the hearing made explicit. Al-Boukhari mentions in his history that Yahya ibn Abi al-Muta' heard from al-'Irbad, resting upon this narration; but the traditionists of Syria denied it and said, Yahya ibn Abi al-Muta' heard not from al-'Irbad nor met him, and this narration is an error. Among those mentioning it, Abu Zur'a ad-Dimashqi, reporting it from Douhaym; and these know their shaykhs better than others, and al-Boukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, falls in his history into illusions in the reports of the people of Syria. Al-'Irbad is reported by other channels also. And the hadith of Bourayda, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), is reported, save that the chain of the hadith of Bourayda is not established, and Allah knows best.
The words of al-'Irbad, "the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave us a sermon"; in the narration of Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawoud and at-Tirmidhi, "penetrating"; and in their narration, that was after his dawn prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) often counselled his companions outside the established sermons, such as the sermons of Friday and the festivals; Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, commanded him of it, and said,
"And preach to them, and say to them, for themselves, a penetrating word."
An-Nisa, 63
and He says,
"Call to the path of your Lord by wisdom and good preaching."
An-Nahl, 125
But he preached them not continually, giving it to them from time to time, as in the two authentic collections, from Abu Wail, who said, 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'oud reminded us each Thursday; a man said to him, O Abu 'Abd ar-Rahman! We love your discourse and desire it, would that you spoke it us every day? He said, "What prevents me speaking it you every day is fear of wearying you, for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave us preaching by intervals, fearing to weary us of it."
Eloquence in preaching is recommended, for it is nearer the acceptance of hearts and their conquest; eloquence is the way of making explicit the intended senses and making them reach the hearts of the listeners in the finest form of words, the clearest, the sweetest to the hearing, and the most touching to hearts.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) shortened his sermon without prolonging it, he conveyed and summarised. In the Sahih of Mouslim, from Jabir ibn Samoura, may Allah be pleased with him, "I prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), his prayer measured and his sermon measured." And Abu Dawoud reports it, its wording, "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prolonged not the preaching on Friday; they are simple words." Mouslim reports from the hadith of Abu Wail, who said, 'Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him, preached, brief and penetrating; when he descended we said, O Abu al-Yaqzane! You conveyed and summarised, would you had taken breath! He said, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say, "The length of a man's prayer and the brevity of his sermon are a sign of his understanding: lengthen the prayer and shorten the sermon, for there is in eloquence a magic."
And Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawoud report from the hadith of al-Hakam ibn Hazn, may Allah be pleased with him, I attended the Friday with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he rose leaning upon a staff or a bow, praising Allah and glorifying Him with light, beautiful and blessed words. And Abu Dawoud reports from 'Amr ibn al-'As, may Allah be pleased with him, that a man rose one day and multiplied speech; 'Amr said, had he aimed in his speech, it had been better for him; I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say, "I saw, or it was commanded me, to be economical in speech, and economy is better."
His words, "the eyes wept thereat and the hearts trembled thereat": these two attributes by which Allah praised the believers at the listening to the remembrance, as the Most High says,
"The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts tremble, and when His verses are recited to them, their faith increases."
Al-'Anfal, 2
And He says,
"Give good tidings to the humble, those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts tremble."
Al-'Anfal, 2
And He says,
"Has not the time come for those who believed to let their hearts tremble at the remembrance of Allah and the truth descended?"
Al-Hadid, 16
And the Most High says,
"Allah sent down the most beautiful of words, a coherent book, recited twofold: the skins shiver of those who fear their Lord, then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah."
Az-Zoumar, 23
And He says,
"And when they hear what was sent down to the messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears of what they recognised of truth."
Maryam, 58
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) changed state at the preaching; Jabir said, "When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) preached and mentioned the Hour, his anger intensified, his voice rose, his eyes reddened, like a warner of an army saying, the enemy has surprised you at dawn and at evening." Mouslim reports it in the sense. And in the two authentic collections, from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went out when the sun declined; he prayed noon; when he saluted, he rose upon the minbar, mentioned the Hour and mentioned the immense things occurring at his hands, then said, "Whoever wants to ask of a thing, let him ask it, for by Allah you shall ask Me of nothing but that I inform you of it in this standing."
Anas said, the people began to weep much, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to repeat, "Ask me." A man rose and said, where is my entrance, O Messenger of Allah? He said, "the Fire," and mentions the hadith. And in the Mousnad of Imam Ahmad, from an-Nou'man ibn Bachir, may Allah be pleased with him, that he preached and said, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) preach saying, "I have warned you of the Fire," to the point a man in the market would hear it from my standing. He says, until the cloak upon his shoulders fell to his feet. And in the two authentic collections, from 'Adi ibn Hatim, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Fear the Fire," then he turned away and drew aside, then said, "Fear the Fire," then turned away and drew aside, three times, until we thought he looked upon it, then he said, "Fear the Fire, were it by half a date; whoever finds it not, by a good word."
And Imam Ahmad reports from the hadith of 'Abd Allah ibn Salama, from 'Ali or az-Zoubayr ibn al-'Awwam, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) preached to us reminding us of the days of Allah, until it was seen upon his face, like a warner of a people to whom the matter would be announced at morning; and when the speech of the time of Jibril came, he smiled not until he were quit of it. And at-Tabarani and al-Bazzar report from the hadith of Jabir, who said, when revelation came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), or he preached, I said, a warner of a people whom the punishment reached; and when it left him, I saw him open-faced, the most smiling and the most bearer of good tidings (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Their words, "O Messenger of Allah! This seems to be the preaching of a farewell, counsel us then," indicate he had conveyed in this preaching what he had not conveyed elsewhere, and they understood it was the preaching of a farewell, for whoever makes his farewells makes explicit what others make not explicit in word and deed. That is why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded the prayer of farewell be made, whoever feeling he makes his farewells by his prayer perfecting it in the most complete manner. And it may be the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) alluded to the farewell in this sermon, as he alluded to it in his sermon at the farewell pilgrimage, saying, "I know not, perhaps I shall not meet you after this year," and he began making his farewells to the people, and said, this is the pilgrimage of farewell.
[His counsel by the Quran and his family, at Ghadir Khoumm:] When he returned from his pilgrimage to Medina, he gathered the people at a watering place between Mecca and Medina named Khoumm, preached, and said, "O people! I am only a human being, soon the messenger of my Lord shall come and I shall answer." Then he encouraged holding to the book of Allah, and commended his family. Mouslim reports it.
In the two authentic collections, its wording that of Mouslim, from 'Oqba ibn 'Amir, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed over the dead of Uhoud, then mounted the minbar like a man making his farewells to the living and the dead, and said, "I precede you to the basin, its breadth like that of 'ayla to al-Jouhfa; I fear not for you polytheism after me, but I fear for you the low world, that you dispute therein and slay one another, as perished those before you." 'Oqba, may Allah be pleased with him, said, that was the last time I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) upon the minbar.
And Imam Ahmad reports it, its wording being, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed over the dead of Uhoud after eight years like a man making his farewells to the living and the dead, then mounted the minbar and said, "I precede you, and I am witness upon you, and your appointment is the basin, and I look upon it; I fear not for you disbelief, but the low world, that you dispute therein."
And Imam Ahmad reports also from 'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr, may Allah be pleased with both of them, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came out to us one day like a man making his farewells, and said, "I am Mouhammad, the illiterate prophet," saying it three times, "and there shall be no prophet after me; I was given the openings of words and their conclusions, their summaries, and I know the number of the keepers of the Fire and the bearers of the Throne; and my Lord granted me economy, and my community was pardoned; listen then and obey so long as I am among you, and when I have departed, hold to the book of Allah, make lawful what it makes lawful and forbid what it forbids." The sermon that al-'Irbad ibn Sariya indicates in his hadith was perhaps part of this sermon, or like it, carrying the allusion to the farewell.
Their words, "counsel us then," mean an exhaustive and sufficient counsel; for having understood he made his farewells, they asked him a counsel to hold to after him, containing sufficiency for whoever holds to it, and happiness in this low world and the Hereafter.
His words, "I counsel you piety towards Allah, listening and obedience": these two words gather the happiness of the low world and the Hereafter. Piety is the guarantee of the happiness of the two worlds for whoever holds to it, it being the counsel of Allah to the first and the last, as the Most High says,
"We commended those who received the book before you, and you: fear Allah."
An-Nisa, 131
The explanation of piety preceded sufficiently in the commentary of the counsel of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to Mu'adh, may Allah be pleased with him.
As for listening and obedience to the governors of the affairs of the Muslims, they contain the happiness of the low world; by them the interests of the servants are ordered in their lives, and they aid one another in manifesting their religion and obedience to their Lord, as 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, says, "The people are reformed only by an imam, righteous or wicked: were he righteous, the servant therein worships his Lord, and the wicked leads to his end." And al-Hasan said of the governors, "They revolve about five affairs, the Friday, the assembly, the festival, the frontiers and the legal penalties: the religion stands not without them, even were they unjust and unjust; Allah reforms by them more than they corrupt; and, by Allah, their obedience is a constraint, and their separation disbelief?!"
Al-Khallal reports in his book of the emirate from the hadith of Abu 'Oumama, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded his companions, after the evening prayer, to gather, for I have a need of you; when he finished the dawn prayer, he said, "Have you gathered as I commanded you?" They said, yes. He said, "Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, have you retained that?" three times; we said, yes. He said, "Establish the prayer and give the zakat, have you retained that?" three times; we said, yes. He said, "Listen and obey," three times, "have you retained that?" three times; we said, yes. He said, we thought the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would say a long speech, then we looked at his speech, and he had gathered us the whole affair.
By these two origins the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) counselled also in his sermon at the farewell pilgrimage, as Imam Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi report from the narration of 'Oumm al-Houssayn al-'Ahmasiyya, who said, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) preach at the farewell pilgrimage, and heard him say, "O people! Fear Allah, and were an Ethiopian mutilated slave named chief over you, listen to him and obey, so long as he establishes among you the book of Allah." And Mouslim reports from him the mention of listening and obedience. And Imam Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi report also from the hadith of Abu 'Oumama, may Allah be pleased with him, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) preach at the farewell pilgrimage saying, "Fear Allah, perform your five prayers, fast your month, give the zakat of your wealth, and obey your leader, and you shall enter the Paradise of your Lord."
And in another version he says, "O people! There shall be no prophet after me, nor community after you." And he mentions the hadith in the sense. And in the Mousnad, from Abu Hourayra, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "Whoever meets Allah without associating anything with Him, gives the zakat of his wealth, the soul content, relying upon Allah, listening and obeying, Paradise is due him, or he enters Paradise."
His words, "and were a slave named chief over you," and in a version, "Ethiopian"; the narrations multiplied thereon from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and that is part of what he knew of the affair of his community after him, the domination of slaves over them. In the Sahih of al-Boukhari, from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said, "Listen and obey, even were an Ethiopian slave named over you, his head like a raisin." And in the Sahih of Mouslim, from Abu Dhar, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, "My intimate friend commended me listening and obeying, even were it an Ethiopian mutilated slave."
The hadiths in this sense are very numerous. And that contradicts not his words, "This affair shall remain in Qouraych so long as two people remain," nor his words, "The people follow Qouraych," nor his words, "The imams are of Qouraych," for the domination of slaves may come through a Qurayshite imam. It is witnessed by what al-Hakim reports from the hadith of 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "The imams are of Qouraych, their righteous the emirs of their righteous, their wicked the emirs of their wicked, and each has his right, give each entitled one his right; and were Qouraych to name over you an Ethiopian mutilated slave, listen to him and obey." Its isnad is good, but it is reported from 'Ali in a version stopped at the Companion. Ad-Daraqoutni said, it is the nearest. And it has been said, the Ethiopian slave is mentioned only as an image of extreme abasement, even were its occurrence not established, like his words, "Whoever builds a mosque, were it like the nest of the quail."
His words, "Whoever of you lives after me shall see much divergence, hold then to my Sunna and the Sunna of the well-guided successors after me, biting them with your molars," is information of him (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) of what occurred in his community after him, the multiplicity of divergence in the roots of the religion and its branches, in words, deeds and beliefs; and that agrees with what is reported from him, his community dividing into seventy-three sects, all in the Fire save one, the one upon that upon which he was, he and his companions. And in this hadith also, he commands, at division and divergence, holding to his Sunna and the Sunna of the well-guided successors after him.
[The Sunna:] The Sunna is the followed way, it therefore includes holding to that upon which he was, he and his well-guided successors, of beliefs, deeds and words; that is the complete Sunna, that is why the righteous Ancients of old named Sunna only what embraces all of that, and its sense is reported from al-Hasan, al-'Awza'i and al-Foudayl ibn Iyad. And many later scholars restrict the name of Sunna to what relates to beliefs, for they are the origin of the religion, and contradiction therein is a great peril.
The mention of this saying after the command of listening and obeying the governors indicates obedience to the governors is only in the obedience to Allah, as authenticated from him (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "Obedience is only in good." And in the Mousnad, from Anas, Mu'adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, said, O Messenger of Allah! Should we have governors not following your Sunna, not taking your command, what command you me concerning them? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "No obedience to whoever obeys not Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." And Ibn Majah reports from the hadith of Ibn Mas'oud, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "After me, men shall govern your affairs, extinguishing the Sunna, acting by innovation, and delaying the prayer from its hours." I say, O Messenger of Allah! Should I meet them, what to do? He said, "You question me, O son of 'Oumm 'Abd, what to do? No obedience to whoever disobeys Allah."
The command of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to follow his Sunna and that of his well-guided successors, after the general command of listening and obeying the governors, indicates the Sunna of the well-guided successors is to be followed like his Sunna, unlike the other governors. And in the Mousnad of Imam Ahmad and the collection of at-Tirmidhi, from Houdhayfa, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, we were sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he said, "I know not how long I shall remain among you, so follow the two after me," and he pointed to Abu Bakr and 'Omar, may Allah be pleased with them, "and hold to the covenant of 'Ammar, and what Ibn Mas'oud reported you, believe it." And in a version, "Hold to the covenant of the son of 'Oumm 'Abd, and follow the guidance of 'Ammar." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated therefore, at the end of his life, those to be followed after him.
The well-guided successors to whom following is commanded are Abu Bakr, 'Omar, 'Outhman and 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with them, for the hadith of the ship says of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "The caliphate after me shall last thirty years, then there shall be a kingship." Imam Ahmad authenticated it, and the four imams argued it against their contradictors. And many imams stated that 'Omar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz was also a well-guided successor.
It is indicated by what Imam Ahmad reports from the hadith of Houdhayfa, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said, "Prophethood shall be among you as long as Allah wills, then Allah shall withdraw it when He wills to withdraw it; then there shall be a caliphate upon the way of prophethood, it shall be as long as Allah wills, then Allah shall withdraw it when He wills to withdraw it; then there shall be a biting kingship, it shall be as long as Allah wills, then Allah shall withdraw it when He wills to withdraw it; then there shall be a tyrannical kingship, it shall be as long as Allah wills, then Allah shall withdraw it when He wills to withdraw it; then there shall be a caliphate upon the way of prophethood." Then he fell silent. When 'Omar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz became caliph, a man entered upon him and recounted him this hadith, and he was happy and amazed at it. And Mouhammad ibn Sirin, sometimes asked of a drink, would say, the guiding imam forbade it, 'Omar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him and have mercy on him.
The scholars diverged over the consensus of the four successors, is it a consensus, a proof against the contradictors among the Companions, or not? Two narrations exist thereon of Imam Ahmad. And Abu Hazim the Hanafite, in the time of al-Moutadid, judged the inheritance of in-laws without regard to those contradicting the successors, and his judgement executed in the horizons.
Were one of the four successors to say a word, none of them contradicting it, but other Companions contradicting it, is his word preferred to the words of others? The scholars have two views also. What is stated explicitly of Ahmad is, his word is preferred to the words of the other Companions; al-Khattabi mentions it likewise; and the saying of most of the righteous Ancients indicates it, especially 'Omar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, for it is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) by channels, "Allah placed the truth upon the tongue and in the heart of 'Omar." 'Omar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz followed his judgements, arguing by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "Allah placed the truth upon the tongue of 'Omar and in his heart."
Malik said, "'Omar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz said, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the governors after him established laws, following them is holding to the book of Allah and strength in the religion of Allah; none has the right to change them nor alter them, nor regard what contradicts them; whoever guides himself by them is guided, whoever aids himself by them is succoured, and whoever abandons them and follows other than the way of the believers, Allah assigns him what he took, and drives him to Gehenna, what an evil destination." And 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abd al-Hakam reports from Malik that he said, "The resolution of 'Omar thereon amazed me," meaning that saying. And 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn Mahdi reports this saying from Malik, without reporting it from 'Omar. And Khalf ibn Khalifa said, I attended 'Omar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz preaching the people, being caliph, and he said in his sermon, "What the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his two companions established is a function of religion, we take it and arrive at it."
And Abou Nou'aym reports from the hadith of 'Arbad al-Kindi that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Things shall occur after me, strive to follow what 'Omar introduced." And 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, followed his judgements and verdicts, and said, "'Omar was sensible in the affair." And al-'Ach'ath reports from 'ach-Cha'bi, who says, "When the people diverge over a thing, look how 'Omar judged it, for 'Omar judged no affair without consultation before." And Moujahid said, "When the people diverge over a thing, look at what 'Omar did, and take it." And 'Ayyoub reports from 'ach-Cha'bi, "Look at what the community of Mouhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) agreed upon, Allah gathered it not upon straying; when they diverge, look at what 'Omar ibn al-Khattab did, and take it."
And Ikrima was asked of the mother of the child, she is emancipated at the death of her master, by what do you judge? He said, by the Quran. It was said, what Quran? He said, "Obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those of you in authority," and 'Omar, may Allah be pleased with him, is of those in authority. And Waki' said, when 'Omar and 'Ali agree upon a thing, that is the affair. And it is reported from Ibn Mas'oud, may Allah be pleased with him, that he swore the upright path is that upon which 'Omar established himself, until his entry into Paradise.
In every state, what 'Omar gathered the Companions upon, and they agreed therein in his time, is without doubt the truth, even were some to contradict him afterwards, like his judgement in questions of inheritance shares, as representation, and in the wife and the parents, and the wife and the parents, that the mother have the third of the rest; and his judgement upon whoever had relation in the state of sacralisation, his procession in his rites, and the compensation and offering upon him; and likewise what he judged of the wife of the absent one, other successors following him also; and likewise that upon which the people agreed concerning him, the triple divorce and the prohibition of temporary marriage; and likewise what he did, establishing the register, imposing the land tax upon land held by force, and the covenant of protection of the people of the covenant with the conditions he stipulated them, and the like.
The truth of what 'Omar gathered his companions upon, and they agreed therein, may Allah be pleased with them, without contradiction in his time, is witnessed by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "I saw myself in a dream drawing water from a well; Abu Bakr came and drew two buckets, with weakness in the drawing, and Allah pardons him; then 'Omar ibn al-Khattab came, the drawing became very abundant, I saw none drawing like him, until the people drank and settled." And in a version, "I saw not of the people one drawing like the drawing of the son of al-Khattab." And in another version, "until he took the lead, and the basin overflowed."
The allusion therein is that 'Omar died not before setting the affairs in their place and the affairs having been established, by the length of his duration, his devotion to the events and his attention to them, unlike the duration of Abu Bakr, short, and he was therein busied by the conquests and the sending of the troops to combat, without devotion to many events; things occurred in his time without his knowing them nor their being raised to him; those events were raised to 'Omar, and he returned the people therein to the truth and carried them to uprightness, may Allah be pleased with him, and Abu Bakr, and the Companions all.
As for what 'Omar gathered not the people upon, but had a view, and where another is permitted a contrary view, like the questions of the grandfather with the brothers, and the question of the definitive triple divorce, the word of 'Omar is not proof against the other Companions. And Allah knows best.
The successors are described well-guided because they knew the truth and judged by it, the well-guided being the contrary of the misguider, the misguider being the one who knew the truth and acted contrary.
And in a version, "well-guided ones," Allah guides them to the truth without deviation from it. The categories are therefore three, the well-guided, the misguider, and the misguided: the well-guided knew the truth and followed it, the misguider knew it without following it, the misguided knew it not at all. Every well-guided is therefore guided, and every one of complete guidance is well-guided, for guidance is completed only by the knowledge of the truth and its action also.
His words, "biting upon the molars," are an allusion to the intensity of holding, the molars being the grinding teeth.
His words, "and beware of new things, every innovation is a straying," a warning to the community of following the new things introduced, and he confirmed it saying, "every innovation is a straying."
Innovation designates what was introduced without origin in the Law indicating it.
[What had an origin:] As for what has an origin of the Law indicating it, it is not a legal innovation, even were it a linguistic innovation. In the Sahih of Mouslim, from Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said in his sermon, "The best of speech is the book of Allah, the best of guidance the guidance of Mouhammad, the worst of things the new things, and every innovation is a straying." And at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah report from the hadith of Kathir ibn 'Abd Allah al-Muzani, with weakness in him, from his father, from his grandfather, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said, "Whoever introduces an innovation of straying that Allah approves not nor His messenger bears the equivalent of the sins of whoever performs it, nothing being diminished of their burdens."
And Imam Ahmad reports, from the narration of Ghoudayf ibn al-Harith ath-Thumali, who says, 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marouane sent to me and said, O Abu 'Asma! We have gathered the people upon two things, raising the hands upon the minbars on Friday, and the narrative preaching after dawn and noon? He said, these are the most similar of your innovations; I answer to none of that, for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "A people introduce an innovation but that the equivalent is taken from the Sunna; holding to the Sunna is better than introducing an innovation." And a similar saying is reported from Ibn 'Omar, may Allah be pleased with him.
His words, "every innovation is a straying," are of the summaries of words from which nothing exits; it is a great root of the roots of the religion, like his words, "Whoever introduces into our affair what is not of it, it is a rejection." Whoever therefore introduces a thing and attaches it to the religion, without origin of religion to return to, it is a straying, and the religion is innocent of it, whether of questions of beliefs, deeds, or words outward and hidden.
As for what occurred in the speech of the righteous Ancients of approving certain innovations, it concerns only linguistic innovations, not legal ones, like the words of 'Omar, may Allah be pleased with him, when he gathered the people for the night prayer of Ramadan upon a single imam in the mosque, and went out and saw them praying thus, "What a beautiful innovation!" And it is reported from him that he said, "If this be an innovation, what a beautiful innovation!" And it is reported that 'Ubayy ibn Ka'b said to him, "It was not thus," and 'Omar said, "I know, but it is good."
Its sense is, this doing was not of that manner before that time, but it has an origin of the Law to return to. Among that, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) encouraged the night prayer of Ramadan and urged to it, and the people in his time prayed in scattered assemblies and alone, and he prayed with his companions in Ramadan several nights, then abstained from it, explaining he feared it be prescribed them, and they be incapable of it, which was set aside after him. And it is reported from him that he prayed with his companions the isolated nights in the last ten. And among that, he commanded following the Sunna of his well-guided successors, and that became of the Sunna of his well-guided successors, the people having agreed in his time upon 'Omar, 'Outhman and 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with them.
Among that also, the first call to the prayer of Friday, which 'Outhman added by need of the people, and 'Ali approved it, and the deed of the Muslims continued therein. Ibn 'Omar said it is an innovation; he may have intended what his father intended in the prayer of the month of Ramadan.
Among that also, gathering the Quran into a single book: Zayd ibn Thabit hesitated therein, and said to Abu Bakr and 'Omar, may Allah be pleased with them, "How do you do what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not do?" Then he knew it was a utility and accepted its gathering. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded the writing of revelation, no difference between writing separate or gathered; the gathering was even more useful.
And likewise 'Outhman gathered the community upon a single book of the Quran, destroying what contradicted it, fearing the scattering of the community, and 'Ali and most of the Companions approved it, may Allah be pleased with them, and that was the very utility.
And likewise the fighting of those who refused the zakat, 'Omar and others hesitating, until Abu Bakr showed them the origin of the Law to return to, and the people agreed therein.
Among that also, the narrative preaching, the words of Ghoudayf ibn al-Harith preceding, it is an innovation. And al-Hasan said, "The narrative preaching is an innovation, what a beautiful innovation! How many answered supplications, satisfied needs, acquired brothers!" And these people intended by innovation the collective form at a fixed moment, for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had no fixed moment for preaching his companions, outside his established sermons of Friday and the festivals; he reminded them sometimes, or at the occurrence of a matter requiring the reminder. Then the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, agreed upon fixing a moment, as preceded of Ibn Mas'oud, reminding his companions each Thursday. And in the Sahih of al-Boukhari, from Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, that he says, "Preach to the people each Friday once; were you to refuse, twice; were you to exaggerate, three times; and weary them not."
And in the Mousnad, from 'Aicha, may Allah be pleased with her, that she counselled the preacher of the people of Medina likewise. And it is reported from her that she said to 'Oubayd ibn 'Oumayr, preach one day and leave the people a day, weary them not. And it is reported from 'Omar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz that he commanded the preacher preach once each three days. And it is reported from him that he said to him, "Rest the people, burden them not, leave the narrative preaching Saturday and Tuesday."
The hafiz Abou Nou'aym reports by his chain from Ibrahim ibn al-Jounayd, who says, I heard ach-Chafi'i say, "Innovation is of two innovations, a praised innovation and a blameworthy innovation: what accords to the Sunna is praised, and what contradicts it is blamed." And he argues by the words of 'Omar, may Allah be pleased with him, "What a beautiful innovation!" And the intent of ach-Chafi'i, may Allah be pleased with him, is what we mentioned before, the blameworthy innovation being what has no origin of the Law to return to, that being innovation in the absolute of the Law; as for the praised innovation, what accords to the Sunna, meaning what has an origin of Sunna to return to, it is innovation only linguistically, not legally, by its accord with the Sunna. And another saying is reported from ach-Chafi'i explaining it, he says, "The new things are of two sorts, what was introduced contradicting the book or the consensus, that being the innovation of straying; and what was introduced of good, without contradicting either of those two, that being a new thing not blameworthy."
Many things introduced that had not been done before, the scholars diverged, are they good innovations returning to the Sunna or not? Among that, the writing of hadith, 'Omar and part of the Companions forbidding it, and the majority permitting it, arguing by hadiths of the Sunna. Among that, the writing of the explanation of hadith and Quran, some scholars disapproving it, and many permitting it; likewise their divergence over the writing of opinion in licit and illicit and the like; and the expansion of speech in transactions and the deeds of hearts, not reported from the Companions and Successors. Imam Ahmad disapproved most of that.
In these eras far from the sciences of the Ancients, it is obligatory to record everything transmitted from them, to distinguish thereby what was of the knowledge existing in their time and what was introduced after them, thus knowing the Sunna from innovation. It is authenticated from Ibn Mas'oud, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said, "You have woken today upon the upright nature; you shall introduce and be introduced; when you see an innovation, hold to the first guidance." Ibn Mas'oud said that in the time of the well-guided successors.
Ibn Mahdi reports from Malik that he said, "None of these passions was in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), of Abu Bakr, 'Omar and 'Outhman." Malik perhaps intends by the passions what occurred of scattering in religions, the affair of the Kharidjites, the Rafidites, the Murji'ites and the like, those speaking of declaring the Muslims disbelievers, making lawful their bloods and wealth, or making them eternal in the Fire, or declaring wicked the elite of this community, or the contrary, the claim that disobediences harm not their doers, or that none of the people of oneness enters the Fire.
Harder still: what was introduced of speech upon the deeds of Allah the Most High, His decree and His predestination, with the rebuttal of whoever rebutted it, and the claim that Allah transcends thereby injustice. Harder still: what was introduced of speech upon the essence of Allah and His attributes, upon which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), his companions and their Successors in excellence kept silence.
Facing what was introduced, a people denied much of what came in the book and the Sunna, claiming to do it by transcendence of Allah of what the reasons require of transcendence, and claiming that it entails the impossible for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. A people were not content with affirming it, until affirming thereby what is believed to entail towards creatures; these consequences, in negation and affirmation, the first generation of the community passed over them in silence.
The speech of licit and illicit by mere opinion, among what was introduced into the community after the era of the Companions and Successors, is the speech of licit and illicit by mere opinion, rejecting much of what the Sunna came therein, for its contradicting opinion and rational analogies.
The speech of reality by taste and unveiling, among what occurred afterwards, is the speech of reality by taste and unveiling, claiming that reality contradicts the Law, that knowledge alone suffices with love, that deeds are not needed or are a veil, or that the Law is required only of the common people.
And in essence and attributes, the speech of essence and attributes may join therein, of which it is certainly known that it contradicts the book, the Sunna and the consensus of the Ancients of the community. And Allah guides to an upright path whom He wills.