📖 Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA):
> “One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, a man came to us whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black. No sign of travel was seen on him, yet none of us knew him. He sat down facing the Prophet ﷺ, resting his knees against his, and placing his hands on his thighs. He said: ‘O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Islam is to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to establish the prayer, to pay zakat, to fast in Ramadan, and to make pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so.’ He said: ‘You have spoken the truth.’ We were amazed that he asks him and then confirms the truth. He said: ‘Then tell me about Iman (faith).’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in divine decree, both the good of it and the bad of it.’ He said: ‘You have spoken the truth.’ He said: ‘Then tell me about Ihsan (excellence).’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘It is to worship Allah as though you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He surely sees you.’ He said: ‘Then tell me about the Hour.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘The one who is asked about it knows no more than the one asking.’ He said: ‘Then tell me about its signs.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, and that you will see barefoot, naked, destitute shepherds competing in constructing tall buildings.’ Then he went away. I stayed for some time. Then the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘O Umar, do you know who the questioner was?’ I said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said: ‘It was Jibril; he came to teach you your religion.’”
(Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Hadith 8)
This hadith is among the most
comprehensive narrations in Islam. Scholars such as Imam al-Nawawi placed it at the beginning of his 40 Hadith collection, calling it the “Mother of the Sunnah.” It summarizes the entire religion—Islam, Iman, Ihsan—and the signs of the Last Day. Let’s break it down in depth:
1. The Arrival of Jibril (AS)
The narration starts with a mysterious man entering the gathering. He is described with unusual detail:
Clean, white clothes → Symbol of purity and no sign of travel, showing angels can appear in human form.
Unknown to companions → Medina was a small community; a stranger would be noticed. This shows it was no ordinary man.
He sat in an unusual posture → Knees touching the Prophet ﷺ, hands on thighs. This shows seriousness, focus, and respect in seeking knowledge.
👉 Lesson: Seeking knowledge requires discipline, humility, and concentration.
2. The Questions on Islam
Jibril first asked: What is Islam?
The Prophet ﷺ gave the Five Pillars: Shahada, Prayer, Zakat, Fasting Ramadan, Hajj.
These represent the outward, practical acts of submission to Allah.
Islam is built like a house: Shahada is the foundation, Salah are the pillars, Zakat is social responsibility, Ramadan strengthens the spirit, and Hajj unites the Ummah.
👉 Lesson: Islam is not just belief in the heart but manifested through action.
3. The Questions on Iman (Faith)
Jibril asked: What is Iman?
The Prophet ﷺ listed six pillars of faith:
1. Belief in Allah
2. His angels
3. His books
4. His messengers
5. The Last Day
6. Divine decree (Qadr)
This highlights the unseen (ghayb). While Islam deals with action, Iman deals with belief. Without sound belief, outward actions may lose meaning.
👉 Lesson: Belief in Allah includes belief in His attributes (Mercy, Justice, Knowledge, Power). Belief in angels reminds us of accountability. Belief in Qadr humbles us before Allah’s will.
4. The Questions on Ihsan (Excellence)
The Prophet ﷺ defined Ihsan as: “To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, He sees you.”
This is the highest level of faith, beyond rituals and belief—it’s about deep spirituality.
It emphasizes sincerity (ikhlas) and awareness of Allah’s constant presence (muraqabah).
If Islam is the body, and Iman is the heart, then Ihsan is the soul of the religion.
👉 Lesson: A Muslim should not only perform rituals, but do them with full awareness of Allah.
5. The Question on the Hour (Qiyamah)
Jibril asked about the Hour. The Prophet ﷺ replied: “The one who is asked knows no more than the one asking.”
This shows the unseen knowledge of the Hour is only with Allah (Quran 31:34).
Even the greatest Prophet ﷺ does not know its timing.
👉 Lesson: Islam emphasizes humility in knowledge. Some things belong only to Allah.
6. The Signs of the Hour
The Prophet ﷺ mentioned two signs:
1. “The slave-girl gives birth to her mistress” → Interpreted as either social upheaval (children rebelling against parents, disrespect) or literal changes in slavery.
2. “Barefoot shepherds building tall buildings” → Describes a reversal of fortunes where poor Bedouins become wealthy and compete in skyscrapers.
👉 Lesson: The hadith predicted modern realities—today, in regions like the Arabian Gulf, former desert tribes compete in constructing the tallest buildings.
7. The Purpose of the Hadith
At the end, the Prophet ﷺ revealed that the “stranger” was Jibril. He came not to learn, but to teach the companions through this questioning method.
This highlights the importance of dialogue, Q&A, and interactive teaching.
The companions learned in a memorable, impactful way.
CONCLUSION:
This hadith is often called the “Summary of Islam” because it covers:
Islam (practice) → What you do.
Iman (belief) → What you believe.
Ihsan (excellence) → How you perfect your worship.
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