Short 40
Zayd had been working hard for a scholarship he really wanted. The day before the deadline, his friend Ali forgot to apply. Though it meant more competition, Zayd still reminded him—knowing Ali deserved a fair shot too.
Which Hadith reflects Zayd’s actions?
"لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لِأَخِيهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ"
None of you truly believes until he loves for hi brother what he loves for himself
Allah (SWT) says in Surat-al-Israa' (17:37):
“And do not walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, you will never tear the earth [apart], and you will never reach the mountains in height."
Which Hadith reflects this Ayah?
"لَا يَنْظُرُ اللَّهُ يَومَ القِيَامَةِ إلى مَن جَرَّ إِزَارَهُ بَطَرًا"
Allah will not look at the person who drags his garment out of pride on the Day of Judgment
(hadith 19)
Ahmad’s family had planned a road trip but on the way, their car began stalling and making weird noises. Despite this, Ahmad’s father decided not to check it saying “we’ve made duaa for safe travels, what more do we need?”
What Hadith would you say to him?
اعقلها وتوكَّل; قيَّد وتوكَّل; قيدها وتوكَّل
"Tie the camel and rely [on Allah]"
(Two-word hadith 12)
In Surah Al-Israa’ (17:13), Allah says,
“And every person’s destiny We have tied to his neck; and We will produce for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will find wide open.”
This ayah explains that no person is born except that his fate is bound to his neck. Which hadith goes into details about this?
"إنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ يُجْمَعُ خَلْقُهُ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ...ثُمَّ يُرْسَلُ إلَيْهِ الْمَلَكُ فَيَنْفُخُ فِيهِ الرُّوحَ، وَيُؤْمَرُ بِأَرْبَعِ كَلِمَاتٍ: بِكَتْبِ رِزْقِهِ، وَأَجَلِهِ، وَعَمَلِهِ، وَشَقِيٍّ أَمْ سَعِيدٍ"
Verily the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother's belly...then there is sent to him the angel who blows his soul into him and who is commanded with four matters: to write down his means of livelihood, his life span, his actions, and whether he will be happy or unhappy
(Nawawi Hadith 4)
In Surat-al-Baqarah (2:163), Allah (SWT) says: “and your God is One God…”, and in Surat-al-Nisaa’ (4:36), Allah says: “Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him…”
Allah abandons His servants that associate partners with Him. Say the related hadith Qudsi.
أَنَا أَغْنَى الشُّرَكَاءِ عَنْ الشِّرْكِ؛ مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا أَشْرَكَ فِيهِ غَيْرِي، تَرَكْتُهُ وَشِرْكَهُ
I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having an associate. Thus he who does an action for someone else's sake as well as Mine will have that action renounced by Me to him whom he associated with Me
(Qudsi Hadith 5)
In Surat-aal-Imran (3:159), Allah (SWT) says the following regarding the Prophet (PBUH)’s treatment of the sahabah:
“It is out of Allah’s mercy that you ˹O Prophet˺ have been lenient with them. Had you been cruel or hard-hearted, they would have certainly abandoned you. So pardon them, ask Allah’s forgiveness for them, and consult with them in the matter…”
Which hadith best reflects the principle mentioned in this verse?
"إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الرِّفْقَ فِي الْأَمْرِ كُلِّهِ"
Indeed Allah loves gentleness in all matters
Allah (SWT) says in Surat-at-Tawbah (9:78):
"Do they not know that Allah knows their secrets and their private conversations and that Allah is the All-Knower of the unseen?"
There is nothing we can hide from Allah (SWT). He is aware of all of our shortcomings and all the things we do in secret. Which Hadith speaks to how we should deal with the private matters of others?
"مَن سَتَرَ عَوْرَةَ أَخِيهِ المُسْلِمِ، سَتَرَ اللَّهُ عَوْرَتَهُ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ، وَمَن كَشَفَ عَوْرَةَ أَخِيهِ المُسْلِمِ، كَشَفَ اللَّهُ عَوْرَتَهُ حَتَّى يَفْضَحَهُ بِهَا فِي بَيْتِهِ"
Whoever conceals the fault of his Muslim brother, Allah will conceal his fault on the Day of Judgment. And whoever exposes the fault of his Muslim brother, Allah will expose his fault—even in the privacy of his own home
(hadith 18)
At a farmer’s market, Bilal was selling fruit by the pound.
When the line got long, he started estimating the weight instead of using the scale, giving some people less than what they paid for.
Which Hadith reflects this?
"زِنْ وأرْجِحْ"
"Weigh and make it balance"
(two-word hadith 18)
In Surah An-Nisa (4:59), Allah says: “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you...”
Which hadith affirms this, showing that obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is inseparable from obedience to Allah and that it is important to follow our leaders?
"الدِّينُ النَّصِيحَةُ." قُلْنَا: لِمَنْ؟ قَالَ: "لِلَّهِ، وَلِكِتَابِهِ، وَلِرَسُولِهِ، وَلِأَئِمَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَعَامَّتِهِمْ."
Religion is sincerity. We said: To whom? He said: To Allah and His book, and His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk
(Nawawi Hadith 7)
In Surat-al-Mu’minun (23:82), Allah (SWT) says:
“they said, ‘what! When we die and become dust and bones, could we really be raised up again?”
Many ignorant people in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) could not believe they would be resurrected after they died. Mention the relevant hadith Qudsi.
" قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: كَذَّبَنِي ابْنُ آدَمَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ ذَلِكَ، وَشَتَمَنِي وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ ذَلِكَ، فَأَمَّا تَكْذِيبُهُ إِيَّايَ فَقَوْلُهُ: لَنْ يُعِيدَنِي كَمَا بَدَأَنِي، وَلَيْسَ أَوَّلُ الْخَلْقِ بِأَهْوَنَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ إِعَادَتِهِ، وَأَمَّا شَتْمُهُ إِيَّايَ فَقَوْلُهُ: اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ وَلَدًا، وَأَنَا الْأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ، لَمْ أَلِدْ وَلَمْ أُولَدْ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِي كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ"
The son of Adam denied Me and he had no right to do so. And he reviled Me and he had no right to do so. As for his denying Me, it is his saying: He will not remake me as He made me at first - and the initial creation [of him] is no easier for Me than remaking him
(Qudsi Hadith 2)
In Surah Al-Israa’ (17:36), Allah says,
“And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - all of them - will be be questioned.”
Which hadith relates most to this ayah?
"مِنْ حُسْنِ إسْلَامِ الْمَرْءِ تَرْكُهُ مَا لَا يَعْنِيهِ"
Part of the perfection of one's Islam is his leaving that which does not concern him
Allah (SWT) is the Most Merciful. He does not hold us accountable for unintentional mistakes or reflexes beyond our control. However, we are responsible for intentional actions and conscious choices.
What Hadith is relevant to this distinction?
لَا تُتْبِعْ النَّظْرَةَ النَّظْرَةَ فَإِنَّ لَكَ الْأُولَى وَلَيْسَتْ لَكَ الْآخِرَةُ
Do not follow one glance at a woman with another. Verily, you are excused for the first one but not for the second
(hadith 16)
We sometimes rush through our prayers, skipping over the necessary steps or not giving our full attention to the bowings and prostrations. The Prophet ﷺ warned that “the worst people are the thieves who steal part of the prayer,” referring to those who don’t complete these actions properly.
Which other Hadith stresses the importance of completing our duties properly?
"أَسْبِغُوا الوُضُوء"
"Do complete wudu"
(two-word hadith 16)
Two people are faced with temptation: one chooses what pleases Allah, even if it seems to bring hardship, while the other chooses what pleases themselves, even if it disobeys Him.
Which hadith reminds us that true faith often requires us to put Allah’s commands before our desires?
"لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يَكُونَ هَوَاهُ تَبَعًا لِمَا جِئْتُ بِهِ"
None of you [truly] believes until his inclination is in accordance with what I have brought
(Nawawi hadith 41)
In Surat-al-Baqarah (2:152), Allah (SWT) says: “So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to me and do not be ungrateful.”
In this ayah, Allah (SWT) shows us that the key is in our hands: if we obey Him, Allah can give us endlessly, if we draw close to Allah, He will draw close to us, if we remember Allah, He will remember us. Which hadith Qudsi relates to this?
أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي، وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا ذَكَرَنِي، فَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي نَفْسِهِ، ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي نَفْسِي، وَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلَإٍ، ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلَإٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْهُمْ، وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ بِشِبْرٍ، تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ ذِرَاعًا، وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ ذِرَاعًا، تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ بَاعًا وَإِنْ أَتَانِي يَمْشِي، أَتَيْتُهُ هَرْوَلَةً
I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an hand's span, I draw near to him a arm's length; and if he draws near to Me a an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at a speed
(Qudsi Hadith 15)
In Surat-al-Jumua, (62:11), Allah (SWT) says:
“And when they see merchandise or amusement, they rushed to it, and leave you (O Prophet) standing, say ‘what is with Allah is much better than the amusement and the merchandise, and Allah is the best of providers’.
Which Hadith best reflects this?
"ازْهَدْ فِي الدُّنْيَا يُحِبُّكَ اللَّهُ، وَازْهَدْ فِيمَا فِي أَيْدِي النَّاسِ يُحِبُّوك"
Do not love this world, and Allah will love you, and do not have a longing for that which people have and they will love you
or
"الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِر"
The world is a prison house for a believer and paradise for a nonbeliever
Allah (SWT) says in Surat-al-Saff (61:10-11):
"O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment? [It is that] you believe in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you should know."
Mention the related hadith.
"لاَ يَلِجُ النَّارَ رَجُلٌ بَكَى مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يَعُودَ اللَّبَنُ فِي الضَّرْعِ، وَلَا يَجْتَمِعُ غُبَارٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَدُخَانُ جَهَنَّمَ"
A man who weeps out of fear of Allah will not enter the Fire until the milk returns to the udder, and the dust (from striving) in the path of Allah and the smoke of Hell will never be together
When Mariam’s grandmother came to visit, Mariam insisted she take her bed out of respect. But her grandmother smiled and said, “No, I’ll sleep on the floor, it’s easier on my back”.
Which hadith of the Prophet ﷺ mirrors the grandmother’s response?
"السُّفُلُ أَرْفَق"
"downstairs is more comfortable"
(two-word hadith 14)
In Surah Qaf (50:16), Allah (SWT) reminds us of His closeness by saying, “And we have created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.”
Which hadith sheds light on this closeness, in which a person lives life with consciousness and mindfulness of Allah?
...قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ الْإِحْسَانِ. قَالَ: أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّك تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاك...
He said: Then tell me about ihsan. He said: It is to worship Allah as though you are seeing Him, and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you
(Nawawi Hadith 2)
In Surat-al-Baqarah (2:186), Allah (SWT) asks us to supplicate to Him and ask Him, as He says:
“And when My servants ask you [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the call of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me so that they may be rightly guided.”
We recite Surat-al-Fatihah, the Mother of the Quran, in every Raka’ah of our Salah, and our salah is not valid without it. In this surah, we ask Allah to guide us to the straight path. Mention the relevant hadith Qudsi.
مَنْ صَلَّى صَلَاةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ، فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ ثَلَاثًا، غَيْرَ تَمَامٍ، فَقِيلَ لِأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ: إِنَّا نَكُونُ وَرَاءَ الْإِمَامِ، فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ بِهَا فِي نَفْسِكَ، فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ النبي صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: قَسَمْتُ الصَّلَاةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ، وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ...
A prayer performed by someone who has not recited the Essence of the Quran during it is deficient (and he repeated the word three times), incomplete. Someone said to Abu Hurayrah: [Even though] we are behind the imam? He said: Recite it to yourself, for I have heard the Prophet (may the blessings and peace of Allah be up on him) say: Allah (mighty and sublime be He), had said: I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for
(Qudsi Hadith 8)
In Surat-an-Nahl (16:116), Allah (SWT) says,
“Do not say about what your tongues describe falsely, ‘this is lawful and that is unlawful’ to invent falsehood about Allah. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed”
Which Hadith discusses this matter?
"مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ"
Whoever introduces into this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) that which is not from it, it will be rejected
Allah (SWT) says in Surat-al-Hujaraat (49:11):
"O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not defame or ridicule one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after faith. And whoever does not repent—then it is those who are the wrongdoers."
Mention the relevant hadith.
مَنِ اقْتَطَعَ حَقَّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ بِيَمِينِهِ، فَقَدْ أَوْجَبَ اللهُ لَهُ النَّارَ، وَحَرَّمَ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ
Whoever wrongfully takes the rights of a Muslim by swearing a false oath, Allah will make Paradise forbidden for him and will make Hellfire obligatory for him
(Hadith 6)
Amina and Bilal are preparing for dinner at home. Before eating, they say “bismillah” and use their right hands to eat. As they enter their home to break their fast, they greet each other with a warm “Assalamu Alaikum,” remembering the advice given in Surat-an-Nur, ayah 61, which says, “But when you enter houses, give greetings of peace upon each other - a greeting from Allah, blessed and good.”
Which two-word hadith best reflects their behavior?
الله ورسوله
love and obey] Allah and His messenger]
(two-word hadith 20)
There are four skills that are important for every Muslim:
controlling one's tongue
controlling one's curiosity
controlling oneself
keeping the heart safe.
List a hadith corresponding with each skill (four ahadith total).
Let him who believes in Allah and the Last day either speak good or keep silent… (Nawawi Hadith 15)
Part of someone’s being a good Muslim is leaving alone that which does not concern him. (Nawawi Hadith 12)
A man said to the Prophet (PBUH): Counsel me. He said: Do not become angry… (Nawawi Hadith 16)
None of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself (Nawawi Hadith 13)
In Surat-aal-’Imran (3:22), Allah (SWT) says:
“They are the ones whose deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and for them there will be no helpers.”
Whoever does good for the sake of Allah, Allah will reward them. Those who do good deeds without believing in Allah, doing such actions for other than Allah (e.g. for their reputation) will not be rewarded by Allah. Mention the related Hadith Qudsi.
إِنَّ أَوَّلَ النَّاسِ يُقْضَى يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ اسْتُشْهِدَ، فَأُتِيَ بِهِ فَعَرَّفَهُ نِعَمَهُ فَعَرَفَهَا، قَالَ: فَمَا عَمِلْتَ فِيهَا؟ قَالَ قَاتَلْتُ فِيكَ حَتَّى اسْتُشْهِدْتُ، قَالَ: كَذَبْتَ، وَلَكِنَّكَ قَاتَلْتَ لِأَنْ يُقَالَ: جَرِيءٌ، فَقَدْ قِيلَ، ثُمَّ أُمِرَ بِهِ فَسُحِبَ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ حَتَّى أُلْقِيَ فِي النَّارِ...
The first of people against whom judgment will be pronounced on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who died a martyr. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His favours and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I fought for you until I died a martyr. He will say: You have lied - you did but fight that it might be said [of you]: He is courageous. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire
(Qudsi Hadith 6)