MS [Major teachings from the Ahadis of the Prophet [20 Ahadis]

Compulsory question no 1 Paper 2,

1 Choose any two of the following Hadiths, and:
(a) describe their teachings about what Muslims believe [4]
(b) explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.[4]

Hadis no 1, ‘Religion is sincerity.’ We said: ‘To whom?’ The Prophet said: ‘To
Allah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and to their common
people’.
[a]The key word of this Hadith is nasihah which means sincerity/advice, and the Prophet in this
Hadith is saying that a Muslim should show sincerity to God, His Book, His prophet, the leaders
of Muslims and to the common man. How this sincerity is shown is where understanding of the
teaching of this Hadith comes in, e.g. the candidates could write that sincerity to God means
believing in His unity, or acknowledging that all power lies with Him alone etc. and likewise other
elements mentioned in the Hadith to which sincerity should be shown could be elaborated upon
[b] The teachings of the said Hadith can be put into practice by Muslims today in a variety of
ways, they can show sincerity to God by implementing the Sharia in their lives, sincerity to the
Qur’an can be shown by respecting its content and carrying out its commands. Some
candidates can say that sincerity to the Prophet was shown by his Companions when they
stood by him. All valid evaluative responses need to be credited.

Hadis no 2 ,None of you believes until he wants for his brother what he wants for
himself
[a]Brotherhood and showing concern for others is the important teaching of this Hadith. The
Hadith is teaching all Muslims to be a source of benefit to others, especially the less fortunate
ones. The bond of brotherhood between men is established by God (Al-Hujurat, 49:10) and is
linked to faith in this Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh).
[b] The teachings of the Hadith can be put into action by Muslims responding to the needs of
others and by desiring what is beneficial for themselves and others. Candidates can develop the
answer by adding that the focus of responding to others’ needs is not narrow and restricted to
material benefits / help only. Examples from a global perspective and / or personal level can be
given and should be credited

Hadis no 3,Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep
silent, and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbour,
and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his guest.
[a]Three kinds of action are specifically referred to in this Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) who by
repeating the statement, ‘Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day’ before the action
emphasized the importance of each of the action given in the Hadith, giving the teaching to
Muslims that every action one does stems from one’s belief. Speech should be used in a
positive way and good treatment of others is a recommended trait of a true believer and that is
brought out in this Hadith.
[b] Following the teaching given in the Hadith a Muslim must use his speech responsibly.
Candidates can explain how this can be done to develop their response. It could also be said
that looking out for and fulfilling the needs of one’s neighbours is another way of acting upon the
teaching of this Hadith as is honouring one’s guests. With examples the answer needs to be
developed.

Hadis no 4 ,A man asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him
peace): Do you think that if I perform the obligatory prayers, fast in Ramadan, treat as
lawful that which is lawful and treat as forbidden that which is forbidden, and do nothing
further, I shall enter Paradise? He said, yes.
[a]The text of the above Hadith reinforces the teachings given in the above Hadith that the
minimum requirements for entering Paradise is fulfilling the Pillars of Islam and abiding by that
which God has made permissible and refraining from that which is prohibited. Quotes from other
Hadiths can be given to discuss the teaching of this Hadith more fully
[b]. The teachings of this Hadith can be fulfilled by being obedient to God and fulfilling His
commandments. Muslims also need to abstain in their lives from what has been forbidden in
Islam. Examples from the Prophet’s time or present day could be given to demonstrate how the
teachings can be implemented.

Hadis no 5, Every person’s every joint must perform a charity every day the sun
comes up; to act justly between two people is a charity; to help a man with his mount,
lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it is a charity; a good word is a
charity; every step you take to prayers is a charity; and removing a harmful thing from
the road is a charity
.[a] In this Hadith the Prophet (pbuh) has given Muslims some examples of acts of charity which
Muslims should try to practise in their everyday lives. This Hadith is teaching Muslims that it is
not just the giving of money or material things that come under the umbrella of charity, but small
acts of kindness come under this category as well and carry great reward. The important
teaching of this Hadith is that every act done with the intention of pleasing God is considered a
charity
[b] Some examples of how the teachings of the Hadith can be put into action are given in the
Hadith itself. Some other examples of its application in life could be as follows: • Greeting others
with a smile; • Giving good advice to someone, perhaps even uniting two siblings or friends after
an argument; • Feeding a hungry person; • Adopting a child or visiting an orphanage etc.

Hadis no 6,Whosoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand,
and if he is not able to do so then with his tongue, and if he is not able to do so then with
his heart, and that is the weakest of faith.
[a]In Islam a Muslim is required to look after the religious and moral wellbeing of his fellow
Muslims and help in creating a pious community. In the given Hadith the Prophet (pbuh) has
made it clear that removing or wanting to remove evil from society is an important characteristic
of a Muslim. Different ways are mentioned regarding how evil can be effectively removed from
society depending on the means available to the individual taking the action. Candidates can
mention these in their answers and say that however if changing / stopping the evil leads to
conflict it should be corrected by one’s speech and as a last resort it should be condemned.
[b] The scale of influence of each individual Muslim may vary in preventing / stopping evil from
taking place but everyone is required to play their part in society to bring about a positive
change. Practical examples like reporting electricity theft in one’s neighbourhood or tackling
corruption in an institution or one’s workplace are examples that could be given. All answers
bringing out the practical implementation of this Hadith should be credited.

Hadis no 7. It was said: O Messenger of Allah, who is the most excellent of men?
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said: ‘The believer who
strives hard in the way of Allah with his person and property.’
[a] This Hadith gives the teaching of striving in the way of God to all Muslims with whatever
means they can employ with the purpose of establishing a just and righteous society. Striving
hard could be seen to have more than one meaning and candidates can refer to them to expand
on their answer A.
[b]. Muslim’s every action should be to please God and he should constantly endeavour to
struggle in God’s way. This can be done in several ways, namely by preaching Islam, living
righteously, caring for the community, striving to remove evil from society or even by migrating
for the sake of God if the need arises as the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions did. Each
answer needs to be read for its own merit and marked accordingly.

Hadis no 8, The Messenger of Allah (May Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
‘Whom do you count to be a martyr among you?’ They said: O Messenger of Allah,
whoever is killed in the way of Allah is a martyr. He said: ‘In that case the martyrs of my
community will be very few! He who is killed in the way of Allah is a martyr, he who dies a
natural death in the way of Allah is a martyr, he who dies of the plague in the way of Allah
is a martyr, he who dies of cholera in the way of Allah is a martyr.
[a]This Hadith broadens the concept of martyrdom and goes on to give Muslims an important
teaching that God considers all those Muslims who live their lives righteously with the intention
of gaining His pleasure and die in the process are considered martyrs irrespective of how and
where they die. Candidates can develop their response by discussing the different ways given in
the Hadith of how the status of a martyr is achieved. The core teaching is that God loves His
creation and is willing to reward those who are obedient to Him.
.[b] There are many ways in which the teaching of this Hadith could be acted upon in daily life.
By worshipping God, a person may strive in God’s way with his person, by spending his wealth
and resources he/she may strive in God’s way. Examples could further develop the points made
e.g. building mosques, carrying out welfare projects etc.

Hadis no 9, No one eats better food than that which he eats out of the work of his
hand
[a]Dignity of labour is another aspect of the teaching of this Hadith which strongly discourages
reliance on others and beggary. Earnings by honest hard work are blessed by God. In another
Hadith it is said that: ‘One who earns his livelihood by the sweat of his brow is a friend of God’s.
[b] Muslims can act upon this Hadith by respecting all forms of work and by engaging in means
that enable them to earn an honest day’s living. Examples of the prophets of the past can be
given who worked as shepherds including the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who even after
assuming leadership of Madina did not shy away from manual work.

Hadis no 10 ,One who manages the affairs of the widow and the poor man is like the
one who exerts himself in the way of Allah, or the one who stands for prayer in the night
and fasts in the day.
[a]Attending to the needs of the vulnerable in society is the focus of this Hadith. Great emphasis
is laid on the welfare of the community in Islam and this Hadith encourages the believers to fulfill
the needs of all those individuals who would struggle without help. Widows and orphans are
specifically mentioned, but the broader meaning of the Hadith can be seen to include all the
vulnerable people in society, helping whom is comparable to be engaged in worshipping God
[b] The teachings of the Hadith can be put into practice by providing resources to the poor, by
helping to establish social housing for the homeless, providing healthcare to those who do not
have access to it, supporting widows and orphans so that no one is left behind and all get a fair
chance in society. Examples from the life of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions could be
given to develop the answer of how to practice this Hadith

Hadis no 11,‘I and the man who brings up an orphan will be in paradise like this.’
And he pointed with his two fingers, the index finger and the middle finger.
[a]The important teaching in this Hadith is caring for orphans. Orphans are the responsibility of
the entire Muslim community and their care is the moral duty of all Muslims. For this action
Muslims have been promised a great reward by God and closeness to the Prophet (pbuh) in
paradise.
[b] By providing food, shelter and financial assistance to orphans is how the Hadith can be
applied to everyday life. Candidates could put forward different practical examples of how
assistance can be given to orphans by way of development of their answer.

Hadis no 12 , The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace)
sent Abu Musa and Mu’adh ibn Jabal to Yaman, and he sent each of them to govern a
part. Then he said: ‘Be gentle and do not be hard, and cause rejoicing and do not
alienate.
[a]The Hadith specifically signifies the responsibilities of Muslim rulers and how they should
work for the welfare and prosperity of their people. Leaders in the Prophet’s time also performed
the duties of religious leaders and so the teaching in the Hadith has a broader meaning
instructing that religious instruction should be given with gentleness in order to make people
more inclined towards the faith
[b]. All those in a position of authority should know that ultimate authority lies with God. Muslim
governments should be fair in their actions and should base their authority on Islamic principles.
Examples will help substantiate the answer.

Hadis no 13’ He who studies the Qur’an is like the owner of tethered camels. If he
attends to them he will keep hold of them, but if he lets them loose they will go away.
[a]Reading and understanding the Qur’an is all important for a Muslim and this is the core
teaching of the Hadith. The link to tethered camels in the Hadith shows the importance of
establishing a strong relationship with the Qur’an. Just as the camels are all important for the
survival of the Bedouins, the Qur’an is all important for a Muslim as it stops him / her from going
astray. Through this Hadith the Prophet (pbuh) is giving Muslims the important teaching of
earning lawfully and through the labours of one’s own hard work.
[b] The teaching of the Hadith can be practiced by all believing men and women by establishing
a close relationship with the Qur’an. This can be done by reading a small portion of it every day,
by listening to its recitation, understanding the meanings of the words being read or heard and
by putting into practice its teachings in one’s daily life.

Hadis no 14 , May God show mercy to a man who is kindly when he sells, when he
buys, and when he demands his money back.
[a]The clear teaching in this Hadith is that God wants His believers to act kindly and to show
mercy in all aspects of life including all business and financial dealings. Candidates could
expand on the explanation by referring to the instruction given in the Qur’an on how trade
should be conducted (Al Isra, 17:35).
[b]Showing mercy and acting with kindness is at the core of Islamic teaching and can be
practiced by all Muslims. Talking to others kindly, asking about the health of a sick friend,
neighbour, visiting orphanages are some ways in which a person can be kindly. Even in
business/trading kindness can be shown, forgiveness is an aspect of kindness which should be
practiced by forgiving the mistakes of others.

Hadis no 15 ,God will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to others.
[a] Rights of fellow beings have been stressed upon by both God and His Messenger (pbuh).
This Hadith clearly instructs all Muslims to show compassion to those around them in order to
gain God’s mercy and compassion. Two of God’s attributes are Rahman and Rahim and His
mercy is evident in all the blessings we see in this world. The clear teaching in this Hadith is that
God wants humankind to be compassionate in their dealings with each other and that He will
deprive those of His mercy who are devoid of it in this world.
[b] Muslims can practise the teaching of this Hadith in their daily lives by doing small acts of
kindness every day. Helping a blind man cross the road, feeding a hungry person, giving
directions to a traveller, forgiving the mistake of a fellow being are all examples of how mercy
can be practised. The Prophet (pbuh) showed the people of Ta’if great mercy by forgiving them
despite their harsh treatment of him.
Hadis no 16.The believers are like a single man; if his eye is affected he is affected,
and if his head is affected he is all affected
[a]. This Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) is teaching Muslims about community relations and how
they should feel and behave towards other fellow Muslims. Just as the head is the command
centre and important to humans so is brotherhood to Muslims. The Qur’an also gives this all
important teaching of unity to Muslims in many Suras e.g. Al Anfal, 8:46 and Al Hujurat, 49:10.
Therefore Muslims should consider sacred another Muslim’s blood, property and honour and
should defend it
.[b] Being aware of the sufferings of others around them and by trying to alleviate their suffering
is how Muslims can practice this Hadith. Candidates can give examples from the Prophet’s time
of how the Ansars helped their fellow believers who had come to Madina leaving everything
they had back in Makka or can give present day examples of how it is imperative that Muslims
be aware of the suffering of their fellow Muslims in countries like Syria and Myanmar or Kashmir
and try to aid them.

Hadis no 17,Modesty produces nothing but good

[a]Modesty helps to create a morally pious and respectful society as by being modest, a
believer does not seek to promote his/her position or rights but works towards the creation of a
peaceful society. The Prophet (pbuh) makes it a condition of faith that one considers others in
the same way as one considers oneself. Candidates can quote other Hadiths to develop their
answer further.
[b] Modesty can be practised today by taking the moderate/middle path. A Muslim’s dress,
mannerisms, attitude towards life must not be extravagant or ostentatious, but instead be simple
and humble. By acknowledging God as the Master and the giver of all blessings, a Muslim can
practice modesty as it is a trait of a humble person. Other examples of modesty can be given by
candidates and should be credited where valid.

Hadis no 18 , He who has in his heart as much faith as a grain of mustard seed will
not enter hell, and he who has in his heart as much pride as a grain of mustard seed will
not enter paradise.
[a]The teaching of this Hadith confirms what is indicated by the text of the Qur’an that all those
who affirm the oneness of God will enter Paradise, initially or later on, unlike the obedient
believer who is free of any major sin and will enter Paradise without being exposed to hell fire.
Pride on the contrary is linked with arrogance, a trait which led Iblis to be expelled from
Paradise and one that Muslims should shun. In this Hadith, the clear teaching is that everything
a person has is God given, and that a Muslim should be grateful to God for the blessings given
and avoid pride lest he/she be led astray
[b] Remaining firm in his/her faith and avoiding pride are ways in which the teachings of this
Hadith can be practised. The Prophet (pbuh) remained humble even after the conquest of
Makka. Candidates could say how Iblis, on account of his pride, disobeyed his Creator and was
subsequently expelled from Paradise. Hence Muslims should always make sure that there is no
place for pride in their hearts. Quotes from the Qur’an and other Hadiths could be given here.
Hadis no 19,The world is a believer’s prison and the unbeliever’s paradise.
[a]the teaching about what Muslims believe;] (a) The teaching of this Hadith for Muslims is to
treat this world as a temporary place and not to get too attached to it or its charms as a person’s
final dwelling is in the Hereafter and to attain paradise in the next world should be the objective
of every believer. A believer has to live his/her life according to the laws of God and his/her life
in this world has been compared to a prison where rules have to be followed. A disbeliever lives
his/her life in self-gratification whereas the believer abides by God’s laws to please Him and
gain rewards.
[b] By living according to laws set by God, Muslims can put the teaching of this Hadith into
practice. Candidates could elaborate their answer by saying how they should stay away from
the forbidden foods and drinks, practise modesty in their lives and not engage in transactions
that are not permissible in Islam. All valid responses should be credited.

Hadis no 20, God does not look at your forms and possessions, but he looks at
your hearts and your deeds.
[a].In this Hadith the teaching given is that the connection between God and His servant is
through righteousness (taqwa), so whoever has more taqwa is closer to God. Hence a true
believer is never proud of his wealth, beauty or children etc. All good actions must be done out
of sincerity and the motive behind these acts should be to seek the pleasure of God as on the
Day of Judgment the intentions will be tested along with outward actions and rewarded
[b] A Muslim’s action must be based on sincerity. Therefore, when giving charity the amount is
not important but the intention behind it is i.e. when charity is given it should be to help the
needy and not to gain a good reputation as a generous person. Candidates can with the help of
examples say how Muslims must strive to do the best they can with the intention of pleasing
God.