The Book of Imam (Faith)

 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

(1) Chapter, the first step of Iman is to say: ´´La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah)´´

1. Abu Jamrah narrated: I was an interpreter between the people and ´Abdullah bin abbas. Once a woman happened to come there and asked about Nabeedh Al-Jarr (the wine pitcher). He said that a delegation of the trible of ´Abdul-Qais came to Allah´s Messenger (peace be upon him) who asked them, ´´Who are the people (i.e., you)?´´ (or) who are the delegates?´´ They replied, ´´(We are from the tribe of) Rabi´ah.´´ Then the Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam said to them, ´´Welcome, O people [or said, O delegation (of Abdul-Qais)]. Neither will you have disgrace nor will you regret.´´ They said: ´´O Messenger of Allah! We have come to you from a far distant place and there is the tribe of the infidels of Mudar intervening between you and us and we cannot come to you except in the sacred month. So please order us to do some clear commands (religious deeds) and that we may also informour people whom we have left behind (at home) and that we may enter Jannah (by acting on them).´´ The prophet salla alayhi wa sallam ordered them to do four things, and forbade them from four things. He ordered them to believe in Allah Alone, and said to them, ´´Do you know what is meant by believing in Allah Alone?´´ They replied, ´´Allah and His Messenger know better.´´ Thereupon the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ´´That means to testify that la ilaha illallah wa anna muhammad-ur-Rasulullah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah), 

Iqamat-as-Salat (to perform prayers perfectly), to pay Zakat, to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan, (and) to pay al-Khumus (one-fifth) of the war booty (to be given in Allah´s Cause).´´ Then he forbade them four things, namely Ad-Dubba, Al-Hantam, Al-Muzaffat (and) An-Naqir or Al-Muqaiyar (these were the names of pots in which alcoholic drinks used to be prepared and served). The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam further said: ´´Memorize these (this Hadith) and teel about it to the people whom you have left behind.´´ and in the version of Abu bakr with the addition of words ´´Who are behind you.´´ And Ibn Mu´adh added in the hadith quoted from his father as saying: ´´The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said to Ashajj (of Abdul-Qais): ´´Verily you possess two such qualities which Allah loves insight and deliberateness.´´

2. Abu Hurairah narrated: One day while Allah´s Messenger (peace be upon him) sitting out for the people, there came a man (the angel Gabriel) and asked, ´´What is Faith, O Messenger of Allah!? Allah´s Messenger (peace be upon him) replied, ´´Faith is to believe in allah, His angels, His Book, (the) Meeting with Him, His Messengers, and to believe in the Last (day of) Resurrection.´´ Then he further asked, ´´O Messenger of Allah! What is Islam? Allah´s Messenger (peace be upon him) replied: ´´Islam is to worship Allah Alone and associate none else with Him, Iqamat-as-Salat (to perform obligatory prayers perfectly), to pay the Zakat and to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan.´´ Then he further asked, ´´O Messenger of Allah! What is Ihsan (perfection)?´´ Allah´s Messenger (peace be upon him) replied. ´´To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is looking at you.´´ Then he further asked, ´´O Allah´s Messenger! When will the Hour be established?´´ Allah´s Messenger salla alayhi wa sallam replied, ´´The answerer has no better knowledge than the questioner. But I will inform you about its signs: 1. when the slave (lady) gives brith to her master; that is one of the signs of the Hour. 2. when the naked, bare-footed would become the chief of the people; that is one of its signs. 3. When the shepherds of black camels start boasting and competing with others in the construction of higher buildings; that is one of its signs. And the Hour is one of five things which nobody knows except Allah.´´ Then the Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam recited this Qur´anic Verse: ´´Verily, Allah! With Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware (of things).´´ (31:34) then that man left and the Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam asked his Companions to call him back to him. They went to bring him back, but they could not see anything (him). Then they Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam said, ´´That was Gabriel who came to teach the people their religion.´´

3. Sa´id bin Al-Musaiyab said that his father (Al-Musaiyab) narrated: when the time of death of Abu Talib came near, the Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam went him and found by his side Abu jahl (bin Hisham) and ´Abdullah bin Abu Umaiyah bin Al-Mughirah. Allah´s Messenger  salla alayhi wa sallam said, ´´O uncle! Say: La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), a word with which I shall be a witness (i.e., arguer= for you before Allah.´´ Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abu Umaiyah said, ´´O Abu Talib! are you going to denounce the religion of ´Abdul-Mttalib?´´ Allah´s Messenger (peace be upon him) kept on inviting Abu Talib to say it (i.e., La ilaha illallah: none has the right to be worshipped but Allah) while they (Abu Jahl and ´Abdullah) kept on repeating their statement till Abu Talib sais as his final statement to them that he was on the religion of ´Abdul-Muttalib and refused to say La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Then Allah´s Messenger salla alayhi wa sallam said, ´´By Allah, I will keep on seeking Allah´s forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden (by allah) to do so.´´ So Allah revealed (the verse) concerning him: ´´It is not (proper) for the prophet and those who believe to seek Allah´s forgiveness for the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of allah) even though they be of kin, after it has become vlear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because they died in a state of disbeliev).´´ (9:113) And also allah revealed (the Verse) concerning Abu Talib, and Allah said to His Messenger (Peace be upon him): ´´Verily, you (O Muhammad salla alayhi wa sallam) guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided. (28:56)