Al-Arba’īn an-Nawawīyah Ḥadīth [2] – Ḥadīth of Jibrīl

عَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَيْضًا قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ، إِذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ شَدِيدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ، شَدِيدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعَرِ، لَا يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ، وَلَا يَعْرِفُهُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى جَلَسَ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: >الْإِسْلَامُ: أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا<، قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ، فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ يَسْأَلُهُ وَيُصَدِّقُهُ، قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ، قَالَ: >أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللّٰهِ، وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ، وَكُتُبِهِ، وَرُسُلِهِ، وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ، وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ<، قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ، قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِحْسَانِ، قَالَ: >أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ<، قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ، قَالَ: >مَا الْمَسْئُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ<، قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ أَمَارَاتِهَا، قَالَ: أَنْ تَلِدَ الْأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا، وَأَنْ تَرَى الْحُفَاةَ الْعُرَاةَ الْعَالَةَ رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُونَ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ، ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ، فَلَبِثْتُ مَلِيًّا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا عُمَرُ أَتَدْرِي مَنْ السَّائِلُ؟، قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: فَإِنَّهُ جِبْرِيلُ أَتَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِينَكُمْ. رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

2 – It is also reported on the authority of ‘Umar (may Allāh be pleased with him) that he said:

While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with extremely black hair. No traces of journey were visible on him, and none of us knew him. He sat down close by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) rested his knees against the knees of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) and placed his palms over his thighs. And he said: ‘O Muḥammad! Inform me about Islām.’ The Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) replied: “Islām is that you should testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allāh and that Muḥammad is His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), that you should perform ṣalāh (ritual prayer), pay the zakāh, fast during Ramaḍān, and perform Ḥajj (pilgrimage) to the House [of Allāh, i.e., the Ka’bah], if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it).” The man said: ‘You have spoken truthfully.’ We were surprised that he asked him and then said he was truthful. He said: ‘Then, tell me about faith (īmān).’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “Faith is to believe in Allāh, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in the Divine Decree (qadar), both its good and its evil.” The man said: ‘You have spoken truthfully. Tell me about excellence (iḥsān).’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “Excellence is to worship Allāh as if you see Him, but if you don’t see Him, He certainly sees you.” The man said: ‘Tell me about [the time of] the Hour.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “The one asked does not know more than the one asking.” The man said: ‘Tell me about its signs.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “The servant girl will give birth to her mistress, and you will see barefoot, naked, and destitute shepherds compete in constructing tall buildings.” Then the man left, and I remained. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said to me: “O ‘Umar, do you know who the questioner was?” I said: ‘Allāh and His Messenger know best.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “Verily he was Jibrīl who came to teach you your religion.” [Reported by Muslim]