وأما الأحاديث؛ فالأول: عن عمر بن الخطاب
رضي الله عنه، قال: «بينما نحن جلوس عند رسول الله، صلى الله عليه وسلم ذات يوم إذ طلع عينا رجل شديد بياض الثياب، شديد سواد الشعر، لا يرى عليه أثر السفر، ولا يعرفه منا أحد، حتى جلس إلى النبي، صلى الله عليه وسلم، فأسند ركبتيه إلى ركبتيه، ووضع كفيه على فخذيه وقال: يا محمد أخبرني عن الإسلام، فقال: رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: الإسلام أن تشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأن محمداً رسول الله وتقيم الصلاة، وتؤتي الزكاة، وتصوم رمضان، وتحج البيت إن استطعت إليه سبيلاً.
قال صدقت. فعجبنا له يسأله ويصدقه! قال: فأخبرني عن الإيمان. قال: أن تؤمن بالله، وملائكته، وكتبه ورسله، واليوم الآخر، وتؤمن بالقدر خيره وشره. قال صدقت.
قال: فأخبرني عن الإحسان. قال: أن تعبد الله كأنك تراه؛ فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراك. قال: فأخبرني عن الساعة. قال: ما المسؤول عنها بأعلم من السائل.
قال: فأخبرني عن أماراتها قال: أن تلد الأمة ربتها، وأن ترى الحفاة العراة العالة رعاء الشاء يتطالون في البنيان. ثم انطلق، فلبثت ملياً، ثم قال: يا عمر أتدري من السائل؟ قلت: الله ورسوله أعلم. قال: فإنه جبريل أتاكم يعلمكم أمر دينكم»
Once we were sitting in the company of Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) when there appeared a man dressed in very white clothes and having extraordinary black hair. No signs of fatigue of journey appeared on him and he was known to none of us. He sat down facing the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) leaning his knees against the knees of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and placing both of his palms over his two thighs and said, “O Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)!
Tell me about Islam”. He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) replied, “Islam is to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam); that you observe Salat (prayers), pay Zakat, observe Saum (fasting) of Ramadan and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) of the House, provided you have resources of making journey to it.”
He replied: “You have spoken the truth.” We were surprised to see that he had asked him and confirmed the correctness of the answers. He then enquired: “Tell me about Iman.”
He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day and that you believe in preordainment (destiny), its bad and good consequences.”
He said, “You have spoken the truth.” He then enquired: “Tell me about Ihsan.” He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “It is to worship Allah as if you are seeing Him; and although you do not see Him, He sees you.” He enquired: “Inform me about the Hour (i.e., the Day of Resurrection).”
He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) replied, “I have no more knowledge thereof than you”. He said, “Inform me about some of its signs.” He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “They are – that a bondswoman gives birth to her own master, and that you will find the barefooted, naked, poor shepherds competing one another in the construction of higher buildings.”
Then he departed. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) kept silent for a while then he said to me, “O Umar! Do you know who the questioner was?” I replied, “Allah and His Messenger know better.”
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “He was Jibril (Gabriel); he came to you to teach you your religion.”