Hadith Paper - Grade: A PDF

Preview

Summary

Mandatory essay on topic...

Description

Hadith Paper Muslims implement hadiths in to their lives as the second source of authority after the Quran. A hadith is a saying of Prophet Muhammad or a report by the Prophet’s companions of his sayings or actions (the Sunnah). Hadiths provide context for Muslims in how they should conduct their affairs as they strive to emulate the Prophet’s lifestyle. This paper will focus on three hadiths that encompass the theme of remembrance of God, and how these teachings may drive the lives of Muslims in their personal relation with God, their conduct in life, and their relations with other Muslims. The first hadith relevant to the theological notion of remembrance of God is as follows: “in a sacred tradition (hadith Qudsi) the blessed Prophet related that Allah (Exalted is He) said, “my servant constantly approaches Me through supererogatory acts of worship (nawafil) until I love him, and when I love him, I become his eyes with which he sees, his hands with which he holds, and his legs with which he walks.” In another version, the wording is “so through Me he hears, through Me he sees, and through Me he understands. This Hadith Qudsi has been narrated by Abu Hurairah, Rady Allahu ‘Anhu and reported by Imam Bukhari, Rahmatullahi ‘alayh. Muslims voluntarily participate in acts that the Prophet also did, and this is the Sunnah. Nawafil are extra kinds of worship that are optional, and examples include voluntary prayers that can be performed, alongside the mandatory ones. As reflected in the hadith above, “My servant constantly approaches Me through nawafil” reiterates that Muslims’ intent in prayer is to constantly seek God and establish their personal relationship with Him. This reveals the highly intrinsic nature of nawafil. In turn, as a Muslim carries out these actions, they are naturally more inclined to become mindful of God as they carry out their daily routines. The

hadith states that once a Muslim becomes deeply involved in their relationship with God, and are focused on pleasing Him, everything they see reminds them of God, everything they hear, they hear it with God in mind, etc. They see God in all things, they may refrain from cursing or listening to something with curse words or obscenity, they may refuse to touch an impure object, and they may not go to vulgar places, such as a nightclub. Thus, they become highly aware of every aspect of their behavior for the purpose of not doing something which may lead them down a wrong path. This hadith expands on the remembrance of God and the ways in which a Muslim may personally be driven by this relationship. They may accept certain habits, such as extra prayers, or may forsake a certain action. For example, if they smoke, they may stop smoking for a more pure lifestyle. The following hadith focuses on how a Muslim may thus interact with their surroundings in this world. Abu Hurayra reported God’s messenger as saying, “The world is the prison of the believer and the paradise for the disbeliever. As mentioned earlier, Muslims that are conscious of their relationship with God may perform extra kinds of prayers in an effort to refresh their faith (iman), and they may also refrain from engaging in certain acts in order to keep themselves spiritually and mentally pure. Drinking alcohol, sexual intercourse before marriage, smoking, etc. may be some actions that would be considered enjoyment for many people. These things are not lawful for Muslims, however. Thus, as the hadith states, the world may be a prison for believers. Muslims often have to sacrifice their desires as discipline to their egos, which may be why this world may seem like a prison to them. Islam does not forbid enjoyment by any means, but there are moral guidelines to ensure that a Muslim lives a proper and well-structured life. Muslims always remind themselves and each other that if they are going

through major issues and heartbreak, that Paradise is far better than any reward this life may have to offer. This thus serves as their motivation to keep moving forward in life. On the contrary, disbelievers may enjoy life’s pleasures as they like, and thus, this life is paradise for them. They may not believe in accountability for their deeds, so freely choose to do whatever may please them. Therefore, when one does not have the theological understanding that Islam presents, they may not have much to worry about. This hadith discusses the centrality of faith in a Muslim’s life, and how it reacts with their worldly interactions. The next hadith focuses on how a Muslim’s relationship with God influences their social relationships. Allah's Apostle (SAW) said, "A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection." (Narrated: Abdullah bin Umar) This hadith emphasizes the bonds shared between two Muslims, and how one should treat the other. The peaceful relation that one has with God should transcend to their relations with other Muslims, as well. Even in relations with others, Muslims should be mindful of God. They remember that they should treat the members of their society with respect, righteousness, and glad tidings. Muslims should treat everyone kindly because they believe all are equal in the eyes of God. The wealthiest of kings is equal to a peasant in God’s view, and thus, this hadith also reminds Muslims of the value of disciplining their ego. If one has wronged someone, a Muslim is encouraged not to seek vengeful measures. Rather, it is taught to pray for the forgiveness of the person who has wronged them, and they should also remove the

grudge lodged within their heart as soon as possible. This is a naturally difficult decision for any human to make, but ultimately, it restores the well-being and peace of a person. In conclusion, the hadiths mentioned throughout this paper focus on the remembrance of God, and how central this may be to a Muslim’s life. When a Muslim remembers God often, their conduct and mannerism changes, their interpretation of events becomes influenced by Islamic principles, and their relations with others are guided. As can be noted, hadiths provide advice to Muslims, and teach them lessons related to everyday matters. These matters are rooted in every aspect of life.

Works Cited "Forty Hadith: The Noble Qur'an."Al-Islam.org . N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. . "Hadith Search Engine.."Hadith about Brother. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. ....