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CHAPTER 24

RELIGION IS SINCERITY

[99–95]. (Dar al-Salam 0098) Muhammad ibn [Abbad al-Makki narrated: Sufyan narrated, saying: ‘I said to Suhayl: “[Amr narrated from al-Qa[qa[; from your father,” hoping that he would give me a chain of transmission that is one narrator shorter. He said: “I heard it from the person who reported it to my father. He was a friend of his living in Syria”.’ Then Sufyan narrated from Suhayl; from [Ata’ ibn Yazid; from Tamim al-Dari that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Religion is sincerity’.ⁱ We asked: ‘To whom?’ He said: ‘To God, His Book, His Messenger, to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk’.

حَـدَّثَنَا مُـحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبَّـادٍ الْـمَكِّيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُـفْيَانُ، قَـالَ: قُلْتُ لِسُهَيْلٍ إِنَّ عَمْـرا حَدَّثَنَا عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ، عَنْ أَبِيكَ، قَالَ وَرَجَوْتُ أَنْ يُسْقِطَ عَنِّي رَجُـلاً. قَـالَ: فَقَـالَ سَمِعْتُـهُ مِنَ الَّذِي سَـمِعَهُ مِنْهُ أَبِي. كَانَ صَدِيقًا لَـهُ بِالشَّـامِ. ثُمَّ حَـدَّثَنَا سُـفْيَانُ عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ تَمِيمٍ الدَّارِيِّ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَـلَّمَ قَـالَ: «الدِّينُ النَّصِيحَـةُ» قُلْنَا: لِـمَنْ؟ قَـالَ: «للهِ، وَلِكِتَابِهِ، وَلِرَسُولِهِ، وَلأَئِمَّةِ الْـمُسْلِمِينَ، وَعَامَّتِهِمْ».

[000–96]. (Dar al-Salam 0099) Muhammad ibn Hatim narrated to me: Ibn Mahdi narrated; Sufyan narrated; from Suhayl ibn Abi Salih; from [Ata’ ibn Yazid al-Laythi; from Tamim al-Dari; from the Prophet (peace be upon him): the same hadith.⁵

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ اللَّيْثِيِّ، عَنْ تَمِيمٍ الدَّارِيِّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: بِمِثْلِهِ.

[000–000]. (Dar al-Salam 0100) Umayyah ibn Bistam narrated to me: Yazid (meaning Ibn Zuray[) narrated; Rawh (who is Ibn al-Qasim) narrated; Suhayl narrated; from [Ata’ ibn Yazid. He heard it as he reported it to Abu Salih from Tamim al-Dari; from God’s Messenger (peace be upon him): the same hadith.

وَحَدَّثَنِي أُمَيَّةُ بْنُ بِسْطَامَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ - يَعْنِي ابْنَ زُرَيْعٍ - حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ الْقَاسِمِ - حَدَّثَنَا سُهَيْلٌ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، سَمِعَهُ وَهُوَ يُحَدِّثُ أَبَا صَالِحٍ عَنْ تَمِيمٍ الدَّارِيِّ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: بِمِثْلِهِ.

Text Explanation

5. This hadith is of great importance: indeed, it is pivotal to Islam. We will explain this shortly, but first we may say that a number of scholars consider it to be one of four hadiths that combine all the principles and concepts of Islam. However, this is not the case, rather it is this hadith that combines all Islam. It is a hadith that only Muslim relates since al-Bukhari does not include in his Sahih any hadith narrated by Tamim al-Dari. Furthermore, it is the only hadith Tamim narrates and Muslim includes. We mentioned in the Introduction that scholars differ as to Tamim’s affiliation, and whether he is Dari or Dayri.

In explaining this hadith, Imam Abu Sulayman al-Khattabi said: ‘The Arabic word nasihah, which is translated here as “sincerity”, is a very comprehensive word that means giving every good thing to the addressee’. It is stated that nasihah is a word that sums up broad meaning and that there is not a single word in Arabic that suffices to express its full meaning. It is similar in scope to the Arabic word falah,ⁱ which signifies all that is good in this life and in the life to come. It is said that nasihah is derived from the expression nasah al-[asal, which refers to purifying honey. Thus, giving sincere advice is likened to the purification of honey such that it contains no particle of comb or any alien object or element.

Thus, the hadith means that the most important aspect of religion and its mainstay is sincerity. This is just like the hadith in which the Prophet says: ‘Pilgrimage is [attendance at] Arafat’. He means that attendance at Arafat at the specified time is the most essential part of pilgrimage.

Explaining the word nasihah, or sincerity, as used in the hadith, al-Khattabi and other scholars have given very useful information, and I will consolidate and sum up their statements. They said: Sincerity to God specifically means believing in Him; rejecting all suggestions of partnership with Him; acknowledging all His attributes; and ascribing to Him all attributes of majesty and perfection; negating that any fault or shortcoming applies to Him; obeying Him and refraining from disobeying any of His commandments; loving or hating others for His sake; allying oneself with those who obey Him and being hostile to those who disobey Him; striving against whoever disbelieves in Him; acknowledging His favours and bounty and thanking Him for these; maintaining truthfulness in all matters; encouraging others to maintain all these and to adopt a gentle approach in calling on people to accept all this. Al-Khattabi adds: ‘In essence, sincerity to God rebounds on the believer as this is the best approach he may adopt. God, the Exalted, is in no need of any sincere counsel’.

Sincerity to God’s Book means belief that it is God’s own word, which He has revealed. Nothing of people’s speech is akin to it; and no creature can produce anything similar to it. It also means giving due respect to it; showing humility as one recites it and making sure to pronounce it perfectly; rejecting any twisting of its meanings and refuting any argument that belittles it; accepting all that it says; understanding its rulings, information and metaphors; learning the facts it states; contemplating its wonders; implementing its definitive instructions; accepting its equivocation (mutashabih); learning what is general and peculiar of its statements and what abrogates earlier rulings; spreading knowledge of it and calling on people to do likewise.

Sincerity to God’s Messenger means accepting the truth of his message and believing in all that he teaches; obeying him in whatever he bids or forbids; defending him during his lifetime and after he had passed away; remaining hostile to anyone who was or is hostile to him and befriending whoever supports him; giving due importance to our duties towards him; following his practice and Sunnah; advocating his message; implementing his law and rejecting any negative comment on it; learning its disciplines; studying its meaning; adopting a gentle approach in learning and teaching it; giving it due respect and importance; maintaining propriety when reading or studying it; refraining from saying anything about it that is not based on accurate information; respecting its scholars because of their learning; adopting his own moral values and good manners; loving the members of his household and his companions, and disowning anyone who attributes any fabrication to him or criticizes any of his companions.

Sincerity to the leaders of the Muslims means helping them to pursue what is right; obeying them in this; counselling and gently reminding them of what they may overlook of what is right and their duties towards the Muslim community; not rebelling against them and encouraging people to obey them. Al-Khattabi adds that sincerity to them also includes praying behind them; joining them in jihad; paying zakat to them for distribution to its beneficiaries; rejecting armed rebellion against them when they appear to be unjust; counselling them not to be deceived by flattery; and praying for them to maintain the right path. All this applies to the rulers and others who are in authority to conduct the affairs of the Muslim community. Al-Khattabi adds: ‘However, it may be interpreted that the “leaders of the Muslims” refers to religious scholars. Sincerity to these means accepting what they report; following their example in the implementation of religious rulings; and thinking well of them.’

Sincerity to the Muslims in general means guiding them to what serves their interests in this life and in the life to come; preventing harm being caused to them; teaching them what they need to know of their religion; assisting them to observe it by word and deed; covering up their faults; sparing them from whatever is adverse to them; ensuring what is of benefit to them; enjoining them to do what is right and to refrain from what is wrong, and making sure to do all this gently and sincerely; respecting their elderly and being kind and caring for their young; giving them gentle admonition; refraining from cheating or envying them; loving for them the good things that one loves for oneself and hating for them every evil one hates for oneself; defending their honour and property by word and deed; encouraging them to adopt all that we have mentioned of the aspects of sincerity; and supporting them in doing all that is undertaken in obedience of God. Among the early Muslims there were those who were so keen to give sincere counsel, even if this harmed their own interests.

Thus, we have summed up what scholars have said about sincerity. Ibn Battal said: ‘This hadith makes clear that sincerity is also called religion and Islam. Religion denotes action in the same way as it denotes words. Sincere counselling is an obligation which earns reward for the ones who undertake it, and when it is done by some people, others are exempt from it. However, it is obligatory inasmuch as one can do it, provided that the one offering sincere counsel realizes that his counsel is accepted. If such a person fears that he may come to harm as a result of offering sincere counsel, he may abstain from it; but God knows best.’

[100–97]. (Dar al-Salam 0101) Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah nar-rated: [Abdullah ibn Numayr and Abu Usamah narrated; from Isma[il ibn Abi Khalid; from Qays; from Jarir. He said: ‘I gave my pledge to God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) to attend regularly to prayer, pay zakat and to be sincere to every Muslim’.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ نُمَيْر وَأَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، عَنْ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ جَرِيرٍ، قَالَ بَايَعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى إِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ وَالنُّصْحِ لِكُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ.

[101–98]. (Dar al-Salam 0102) Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, Zuhayr ibn Harb and Ibn Numayr narrated: Sufyan narrated; from Ziyad ibn [Ilaqah that he heard Jarir ibn [Abdullah say: ‘I pledged to the Prophet (peace be upon him) to be sincere to every Muslim’.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَابْنُ، نُمَيْرٍ قَالُوا: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ عِلاَقَةَ، سَمِعَ جَرِيرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ، يَقُولُ: بَايَعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى النُّصْحِ لِكُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ.

[102–99]. (Dar al-Salam 0103) Surayj ibn Yunus and Ya[qub al-Dawraqi narrated: Hushaym narrated; from Sayyar; from al-Sha[bi; from Jarir: ‘I pledged to the Prophet (peace be upon him) to listen and obey. He instructed me to add “in what I can” and to be sincere to every Muslim’. Ya[qub said in his report: ‘Sayyar narrated’.⁶

حَدَّثَنَا سُرَيْجُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، وَيَعْقُوبُ الدَّوْرَقِيُّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ سَيَّارٍ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ جَرِيرٍ، قَالَ بَايَعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ فَلَقَّنَنِي «فِيمَا اسْتَطَعْتَ». وَالنُّصْحِ لِكُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ. قَالَ يَعْقُوبُ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَيَّارٌ.

Text Explanation

6. In this hadith Jarir, a companion of the Prophet, mentions the terms of the pledge he gave to the Prophet, but states only prayer and zakat, because they are almost always stated together. They are the most important essentials of Islam after the declaration of belief in God’s oneness and the Prophet’s message. He does not mention fasting or any other duty because all these are included in the pledge ‘to listen and obey’.

When Jarir pledged to listen and obey, the Prophet instructed him to add ‘in what I can’. This shows the Prophet’s care for his followers since a person may sometimes be unable to fulfil what he has committed himself to do. Unless he restricts his commitment to what he is able to do, he may at times fall short of doing it, but God knows best.

One of Jarir’s characteristics is related to this hadith. It is mentioned with a sound chain of transmission by Abu al-Qasim al-Tabarani, and here is a summary of it: Jarir instructed his servant to buy him a horse, and the servant bought one for 300 dirhams. He took the horse and its owner to Jarir so he could pay him. Jarir said to the seller: ‘Your horse is worth more than 300 dirhams, will you sell it for 400?’ The man said: ‘This is your choice, Abu [Abdullah’. Jarir said: ‘But your horse is worth more, will you sell it for 500?’ He continued to add 100 after another until the price was 800 dirhams, although the seller accepted every figure. Jarir bought the horse at 800 dirhams. When he was questioned about this, he answered: ‘I pledged to God’s Messenger to be sincere to every Muslim’, but God knows best.

Transmission

One of the chains of transmission in this chapter includes: Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated: [Abdullah ibn Numayr and Abu Usamah narrated; from Isma[il ibn Abi Khalid; from Qays; from Jarir. All reporters in this chain of transmission belonged to Kufah.

The last chain of transmission includes: Surayj ibn Yunus and Ya[qub al-Dawraqi narrated: Hushaym narrated; from Sayyar; from al-Sha[bi; from Jarir. At the end of this version, Muslim says: ‘Ya[qub said in his report: “Sayyar narrated”’. This is a very interesting point since Hushaym is graded by Hadith scholars as ‘misleading’, and he reports the hadith ‘from Sayyar’. The rule is that when a misleading reporter says ‘from so-and-so’, his report is discarded, unless it is proved otherwise that he actually received the hadith from the one he mentions. Muslim reports this hadith from two of his teachers: Surayj and Ya[qub. However, Surayj said: ‘Hushaym narrated from Sayyar’, but Ya[qub said: ‘Hushaym narrated; Sayyar narrated’. Thus Muslim highlights the difference between the way the hadith is reported by the two reporters, so as to make clear that his narration is both continuous and complete. To ensure this, he mentions both reports. This is another indication of his meticulous care and complete accuracy.

i.We may also interpret the meaning of the Arabic word nasihah as ‘sincere counsel’.

i.We normally translate falah as ‘success’ realizing that it is far from adequate in rendering the full meaning of the Arabic word, but this is one of the difficulties of translation.