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Riyad as-Salihin 438

In the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance, I used to think that people who used to worship idols, were deviated and did not adhere to the true religion. Then I heard of a man in Makkah who was preaching…

Amrnarrated it
Sahihgraded sahih
2names in the chain
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وعن أبي نجيح عمرو بن عبسة (بفتح العين والباء) السلمي

رضي الله عنه، قال: كنت وأنا في الجاهلية أظن أن الناس على ضلالة، وأنهم ليسوا على شئ، وهم يعبدون الأوثان، فسمعت برجل بمكة يخبر أخباراً، فقعدت على راحلتى، فقدمت عليه، فإذا رسول الله، صلى الله عليه وسلم مستخفياً، جرءاء عليه قومه، فتلطف حتى دخلت عليه بمكة، فقلت له: ما أنت؟

قال: «أنا نبي«قلت: وما نبي؟ قال: «أرسلني الله«قلت: وبأي شئ أرسك؟ قال: «أرسلني بصلة الأرحام، وكسر الأوثان وأن يوحد الله لا يشرك به شئ: قلت: فمن معك على هذا؟

قال: «حر وعبد«ومعه يومئذ أبو بكر وبلال، رضي الله عنهما، قلت: إني متبعك، قال: «إنك لن تستطيع ذلك يومك هذا، ألا ترى حالي وحال الناس؟ ولكن ارجع إلى أهلك فإذا سمعت بي قد ظهرت فأتني«قال: فذهبت إلى أهلي وقدم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، المدينة، وكنت في أهلي، فجعلت أتخبر الأخبار، واسأل الناس حين قدم المدينة حتى قدم نفر من أهلي المدينة، فقلت: ما فعل هذا الرجل الذي قدم المدينة؟

فقالوا: الناس إليه سراع، وقد أراد قومه قتله، فلم يستطيعوا ذلك، فقدمت المدينة، فدخلت عليه، فقلت: يا رسول الله أتعرفني؟ قال: «نعم أنتالذي لقيتني بمكة«قال: فقلت: يا رسول الله أخبرني عما علمك الله وأجهله، أخبرنى عن الصلاة؟

قال:» صل صلاة الصبح، ثم أقصر عن الصلاة حتى ترتفع الشمس قيد رمح، فإنه تطلع حين تطلع بين قرني شيطان، وحينئذ يسجد لها الكفار، ثم صل فإن الصلاة مشهودة محضورة حتى يستقل الظل بالرمح، ثم أقصر عن الصلاة، فإنه حينئذ تسجر جهنم؛ فإذا أقبل الفيء فصل؛ فإن الصلاة مشهودة محضورة حتى تصلي العصر، ثم اقصر عن الصلاة حتى تغرب الشمس، فإنها تغرب بين قرني شيطان، وحينئذ يسجد لها الكفار«قال: فقلت: يا نبى الله؛ فالوضوء حدثنى عنه؟

فقال: «ما منكم رجل يقرب وضوءه، فيتمضمض ويستنشق فينتثر، إلا خرت خطايا وجهه وفيه وخياشيمه، ثم إذا غسل وجهه كما أمره الله، إلا خرت خطايا وجهه من أطراف لحيته مع الماء، ثم يغسل يديه إلى المرفقين، إلا خرت خطايا يديه من أنامله مع الماء ثم يمسح رأسه، إلا خرت خطايا يديه من أنامله مع الماء، ثم يغسل يديه إلى المرفقين، إلاخرت خطايا يديه من أنامله مع الماء، ثم يمسح رأسه، إلا خرت خطايا رأسه من أطراف شعره مع الماء، ثم يغسل قديمه إلى الكعبين إلا خرت خطايا رجليه من أنامله مع الماء، فإن هو قام فصلى، فحمد الله تعالى، وأثنى عليه ومجده بالذي هو له أهل، وفرغ قلبه لله تعالى، إلا انصرف من خطيئته كهيئته يوم ولدته أمه».

فحدث عمرو بن عبسة بهذا الحديث أبا أمامة صاحب رسول الله، فقال له أبو أمامة: يا عمرو بن عبسة، انظر ما تقول! في مقام واحد يعطى هذا الرجل؟ فقال عمرو: يا أبا أمامة لقد كبرت سني، ورق عظمي، واقترب أجلي، وما بي حاجة أن أكذب على الله تعالى، ولا على رسول الله، صلى الله عليه وسلم، لو لم اسمعه من رسول الله، صلى الله عليه وسلم إلا مرة أو مرتين أو ثلاثاً، حتى عد سبع مرات، ماحدثت أبداً به، ولكني سمعته أكثر من ذلك» (رواه مسلم)

In the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance, I used to think that people who used to worship idols, were deviated and did not adhere to the true religion. Then I heard of a man in Makkah who was preaching a message. So I mounted my camel and went to him. I found that (this man who was) Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) remained hidden because of the persecution by his people.

I had entered Makkah stealthily and when I met him I asked him, “Who are you?” He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “I am a Prophet.” I asked; “What is a Prophet?”

He said, “Allah has sent me (with a message)”. I asked, “With what has He sent you?” He said, “He sent me to strengthen the ties of kinship, to destroy idols so that Allah alone should be worshipped and nothing should be associated with Him”.

I asked, “Who has followed you in this?” He said, “A freeman and a slave”. (At that time only Abu Bakr and Bilal (radiyallahu anha) were with him). I said, “I shall follow you”.

He said, “You can not do that now. Do you not see my situation and that of the people? Go to your people, and when you hear that my cause has prevailed, come to me”. So I went back to my people, and while I was with my people, Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) emigrated to Al-Madinah. I continued to ask people about him till some of my people visited Al- Madinah.

On their return, I asked them, “How is that man who has arrived in Al-Madinah faring?” They said, “People are hastening to him. His own people had planned to kill him but did not succeed.”

Then I went to Al-Madinah and came to him and said, “O Messenger of Allah, do you recognize me?” He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Yes, you are the one who met me in Makkah.”

I said, “O Messenger of Allah, tell me of that which Allah has taught you and of which I am unaware. Tell me about Salat first.” He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) replied, “Perform the Fajr (morning) Salat, then stop Salat until the sun has risen up to the height of a lance, for when it rises, it rises up between the horns of the devil, and the infidels prostrate themselves before it at that time.

Then perform Salat, for Salat is witnessed and angels attend it, until the shadow becomes equal to the length of its object; then stop Salat, for at that time Jahannam (Hell) is heated up. Then pray when the shadow becomes longer, for the prayer is witnessed and angels attend it, until you perform Asr prayer; then stop Salat till sun sets, for it sets between the horns of a devil.

At that time the infidels prostrate themselves before it.” I then asked the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) to tell me about Wudu, and he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “When a person begins the Wudu and washes his mouth and nose, the sins committed by his face, mouth and nostrils are washed out. Then when he washes his face as commanded by Allah, the sins of his face are washed out with the water from the sides of his beard.

Then when he washes his hands up to elbows, the sins of his hands are washed out through his fingers with water. Then he passes his wet hands over his head and the sins of the head are washed out through the ends of his hair with water. Then he washes his feet up to the ankles, the sins of his feet are washed out through his toes with water.

Then, if he stands up for Salat and praises Allah, glorifies Him, proclaims His Greatness as He deserves and devotes his heart wholly to Allah, he emerges sin free as the day he was born”.

When Amr ibn Abasah (radiyallahu anhu) narrated this Hadith to Abu Umama (radiyallahu anhu) a Companion of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), the latter said to him, “Watch what you are saying. O Amr ibn Abasah, a man will be getting all of this in one shot?”

Amr (radiyallahu anhu) replied, “O Abu Umama, I have attained old age, my bones have become dry, my death is approaching and there is no need for me to tell lies concerning Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Had I not heard this from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) only once, twice, thrice (and he counted up to seven) I would never have reported it. Indeed I have heard this frequently”.

Riyad as-Salihin 438, Book 1, The Book of Miscellany, Hadith 438. 4 min read

What it means

‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah As-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) informs us about his situation in the pre-Islamic times and how Allah guided him to Islam. Before Islam, he had light in his heart that showed him that the unbelievers were misguided, as they worshiped false objects, which they associated with Allah. He did not share their beliefs.

However, when he heard of someone in Makkah telling prophetic news, he mounted his camel and went to him. Prophet Muhammad was then hiding to avoid the abuse of the Makkans.

‘Amr says that he used gentle ways to get access to the Prophet. He then approached him and asked him about his message. The Prophet told him that Allah sent him with a message of upholding kinship relations, breaking idols, and worshiping Allah alone without associating partners with Him. Here the Prophet was inviting him to Allah, explaining to ‘Amr great aspects of Islam.

The most important thing he told him was to believe in the oneness of Allah and to have good manners. He told ‘Amr what people would realize with their reason that idols were a falsehood. Before coming to Islam, ‘Amr knew that the polytheists were on a false course of worship. He was searching for the truth.

So when he reached the Prophet and asked him about his message, he told him that Allah sent him with a message that maintains kinship relations. Indeed, the Makkans had spread rumors that the Prophet came with a message that severs kinship ties. Against these backdrop, the Prophet asserted that his message maintained kinship ties.

The Prophet further told ‘Amr that his message included the breaking of idols, i.e. everything that is worshipped besides Allah, so that Allah is worshipped alone, without any partners associated with Him.

Upom hearing that, ‘Amr asked the Prophet about his followers, and the Prophet told him that a free man (i.e. Abu Bakr) and a slave man (i.e. Bilāl) were following him.

So he said that he too would follow the Prophet. However, the Prophet told him that he can not do so on that day. This means that if ‘Amr joined the Prophet in Makkah, thus leaving his own people, the Prophet would not be able to protect him from the Makkans.

So he told him to stay as a Muslim among his people until Islam is strong enough, then ‘Amr would join Muslims. This was an aspect of the Prophet’s compassion. ‘Amr was weak and the Makkans were plenty in number and hostile towards the Prophet, who could not defend himself rather than someone else.

‘Amr went back to his own people as a Muslim, and thus he would often check on the Prophet's news. However, he kept his conversion a secret, fearing for his own life. When some of his people came back from a visit to Madīnah, ‘Amr asked them about the Prophet.

They told him that people were quick in responding to him and that the Makkans wanted to kill him but failed. So ‘Amr travelled to Madīnah and entered upon the Prophet, who recognized him.

‘Amr asked the Prophets about the teachings of Islam; so as to learn what he is unaware of the divine knowledge. The Prophet told him that he should pray the morning prayer on time and then stop praying until the sun rises, because when it rises the unbelievers prostrate themselves to it. A Muslim, however, is not allowed to delay his morning prayer, nor to pray optionally when the sun rises.

The time for sunrise can be known from the calendar. Now, the Prophet forbade that Muslims emulate the disbelievers by praying at sunrise, because the sun rises between two horns of a devil. Later, however, angels attend the prayers, so as to record a Muslim's prayer and be witness for him. No prayer is allowed when the sun is in the middle of the sky, because then Hell is fired up.

At this time, one's shade is under his feet. It is a short time that lasts for only two Rak‘ahs. However, when the shade shrinks under one's feet and moves to the other direction, marking the noon time, the angels attend the prayer, so a Muslim may pray from Zhuhr until ‘Asr. This is an open time for prayer. After praying ‘Asr, one does not pray until sunset.

Before sunset, it is forbidden to pray because the sun sets, as it rises, between two horns of a devil. A Muslim, meanwhile, is not allowed to delay praying ‘Asr until shortly before sunset, because in doing so he emulates the unbelievers. The Prophet called it the prayer of hypocrites, who wait until the sun is orange and pray four Rak‘ahs quickly, with little remembrance of Allah.

So a Muslim should not behave like unbelievers and hypocrites, willingly delaying the 'Asr prayer until the sun is going to set. ‘Amr then asked the Prophet about ablution.

The Prophet told him that doing ablution as prescribed eliminates sins, which fall with water when one washes his limbs. ‘Amr used to tell others about this Hadīth, yet Abu Umāmah warned him, concluding that he was exaggerating. He might have thought that the reward was too large for doing ablution, that a Muslim becomes sin-free as if he is just born.

‘Amr, however, explained that he did not have to lie, because he was already old, weak, and about to die. He further said that he heard the Hadīth not only once or even seven times, but more than that.

From the Encyclopedia of Translated Prophetic Hadiths, hadeethenc.com.

The chain

Who passed it on, from Imam an-Nawawi back to the one who was there.

  1. 1Imam an-NawawiCompiler, died 676 AH
  2. 2Amr ibn AbasahFrom, Companion, died 35 AH

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