Al-Arba’īn an-Nawawīyah Ḥadīth [31]

عَنْ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيِّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، دُلَّنِي عَلَى عَمَلٍ إذَا عَمِلْتُهُ أَحَبَّنِي اللهُ وَأَحَبَّنِي النَّاسُ، فَقَالَ: اِزْهَدْ فِي الدُّنْيَا يُحِبَّكَ اللهُ، وَازْهَدْ فِيمَا عِنْدَ النَّاسِ يُحِبَّكَ النَّاسُ. حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ، رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَغَيْرُهُ بِأَسَانِيدَ حَسَنَةٍ

31 – It is reported on the authority of Abī al-‘Abbās Sahl bin Sa’d as-Sā’idī (may Allāh be pleased with him) who said:

A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allāh, direct me to an act which, if I do it, [will cause] Allāh to love me and the people to love me.’ So, he (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “Renounce the world and Allāh will love you, and renounce what the people possess, and the people will love you.” [A ḥasan ḥadīth reported by ibn Mājah and others with ḥasan chain of authorities]