Part 58

So whatever is most appropriate and most beneficial in worship, then it will be what is most complete and most excellent. The proof from the sunnah is the well-known hadith of Jibraa'eel, reported from 'Umar, radiyallaahu 'anhu, that he said, "Whilst we were sitting in the presence of Allaah's Messenger (3H) one day a man came to us having very white clothes and very black hair. No trace of having travelled was to be seen upon him, nor did any of us know him. So he came and sat down with the Prophet (3H) and put his knees against his knees, and placed his palms upon his thighs and said: "O Muhammad, inform me about Islaam.” So Allaah's Messenger: "Islaam is that you testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah; establish the Prayer; pay the zakaat; fast Ramadaan; and perform pilgrimage (hajj) to the House if you are able to do so." He said: "You have spoken the truth." So we were amazed at him asking him a question and then saying that he had spoken the truth. He said: "Then inform me about eemaan.” He said: "It is that you truly believe in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day; and that you truly believe in pre-decree -its good and its bad." He said: "You have spoken the truth." He said: "Then inform me about al-ihsaan.” He said: "ft is that you worship Allaah as if you were seeing Him, and though you do not see Him then He certainly sees you.” He said: "Then inform me of the (Last) Hour." He said: "The one who is asked about it knows no better than the one who is asking." He said: "Then inform me about its signs." He said: "That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress; and that you will see the barefooted, unclothed and destitute shepherds competing in the building of tall buildings." He said: so he left, and we remained for some time, then he asked: "O 'Umar, do you know who the questioner was? I replied: "Allaah and His Messenger know best" He said: "That was Jibreel, he came to you to teach you your Religion (Been).” [133] ________________________________________________________________________ Reported by Muslim (Eng. transl. 1/1-3/no. 1). Most of this hadith has already been explained in this book, and we have given an explanation of it in Majmoo'ul-Fataawaa war-Rasaail (i.e. of Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen) 3/143. THE THIRD PRINCIPLE [134] Knowledge of your Prophet Muhammad, and he was: Muhammad ibn 'Abdullaah ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib ibn Haashim; and Haashim was from (the tribe of) Quraysh; Quraysh were from the Arabs; and the Arabs have descended from Ismaa'eel, the son of Ibraaheem - the chosen beloved {khaleel) - may the most excellent blessings and peace be upon him and upon our Prophet. ________________________________________________________ From the three principles that each person must know and be aware of, are the servants knowledge of his Lord, his Religion, and his Prophet. The servants knowledge of his Lord and his Religion are matters that have preceded. As for knowledge about the Prophet (2H) then it covers five matters: (i) Knowledge about his lineage: He was the noblest of people in lineage since he was Haashimee, of the Quraysh, and an Arab. He was: Muhammad the son of 'Abdullaah ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib ibn Haashim - to the end of the lineage quoted by the Shaykh, rahimahullaah. (ii) The age he reached, where he was born, and where he migrated to. So the Shaykh explained this with his saying: "And he reached sixty-three years of age, his land was Makkah, and he migrated to al-Madeenah." So he was born in Makkah and he remained there for fifty-three years. The he migrated to al-Madeenah and remained there for ten years. It was there that he died in the month of Rabee'ulAwwal in the eleventh year after the Hijrah. (iii) Knowledge about his life as a Prophet, and this was for a period of twenty three years. Revelation was first given to him at the age of forty, just as one of his reciter's of poetry said: 'So forty years came upon him and then the sunlight of prophethood shone forth from him in the month of Ramadaan.' (iv) Through what did he become a Prophet and then a Messenger?