THE BEST IN ISLAM

By: Muhammad Ali (Teacher, Trainer, Educator)

Introduction to Course
 CLASS 1:

“THE BEST LIFE”

Which life is best?
HADIS 1

Abu Bakrah reported: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah,

which of the people are best?” The Prophet, peace and
blessings be upon him, said, “One whose life is long and his
deeds are good.” The man said, “Which of the people are
worst?” The Prophet said, “One whose life is long and his deeds
are evil.”
[Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2330]
 Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) said:
“The best of you are those who live the
longest and are the best in character.”
Collected by Ahmad [S.J.S. 3262].
 Al-Nawwas ibn Sam’an reported:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be
upon him, said, “Righteousness is good character,
and sin is what disturbs your heart and you hate for
people to find out about it.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2553
How to attain righteousness?

1- TAQWA
َ ‫ِإ َّن هَّللا‬ ۚ َ ‫ َواتَّقُوا هَّللا‬ ۖ ‫ي هَّللا ِ َو َرسُولِ ِه‬
ِ ‫د‬َ َ ‫ي‬ ‫ن‬
َ ْ
‫ي‬ َ ‫ب‬ ‫وا‬‫م‬ُ ِّ
‫د‬ َ ‫ق‬ُ ‫ت‬ ‫اَل‬ ‫وا‬ُ ‫ن‬‫م‬َ ‫آ‬ ‫ين‬
َ ‫ذ‬
ِ َّ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬َ ‫ه‬‫ي‬ُّ ‫َأ‬ ‫يَا‬
‫ َس ِمي ٌع َعلِي ٌم‬ 

O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before

Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah . Indeed, Allah is
Hearing and Knowing.
(49:1)
 ٍ ‫َولَ ْو َأ َّن َأ ْه َل ْالقُ َر ٰى آ َمنُوا َواتَّقَ ْوا لَفَتَ ْحنَا َعلَ ْي ِهم بَ َر َكا‬
‫ت ِّم َن‬
‫ض‬
ِ ‫ر‬ْ ‫َأْل‬ ‫ال َّس َما ِء َوا‬
“And if the people of the towns believed and had Taqwa, certainly We
should have opened for them blessings from the heavens and the
earth.” (Quran, 7:96)
WHAT IS TAQWA?

Taqwa simply means “God

consciousness”.
 Abdullah bin ‘Abbas(ra) reports:
“One day I was riding (a horse/camel) behind the Prophet, peace and blessings
be upon him, when he said, ‘Young man, I will teach you some words. Be
mindful of Allah, and He will take care of you. Be mindful of Him, and you shall
find Him at your side. If you ask, ask of God. If you need help, seek it from God.
Know that if the whole world were to gather together in order to help you, they
would not be able to help you except if God had written so. And if the whole
world were to gather together in order to harm you, they would not harm you
except if God had written so. The pens have been lifted, and the pages are dry.’
”
[Related by Tirmidhi]
 GOLDEN RULE:
Taqwa comes by
remembrance of allah
 Important point:

Whatever we say from the words of

remembrance of Allaah, should be meaningful.
Something we should or can reflect on, should
have a meaning to it, because this was the way
of Rasoolullaah (s.a.w).
2- COMPANY OF
THE RIGHTEOUS
‫ َواَل‬ ۖ ُ‫ون َو ْجهَه‬َ ‫ون َربَّهُم بِ ْال َغ َدا ِة َو ْال َع ِش ِّي ي ُِري ُد‬ َ ‫ك َم َع الَّ ِذ‬
َ ‫ين يَ ْد ُع‬ َ ‫اصبِ ْر نَ ْف َس‬
ْ ‫َو‬
‫ َواَل تُ ِط ْع َم ْن َأ ْغفَ ْلنَا قَ ْلبَهُ َعن‬ ۖ ‫ك َع ْنهُ ْم تُ ِري ُد ِزينَةَ ْال َحيَا ِة ال ُّد ْنيَا‬ َ ‫تَ ْع ُد َع ْينَا‬
‫ان َأ ْم ُرهُ فُ ُرطًا‬
َ ‫ِذ ْك ِرنَا َواتَّبَ َع هَ َواهُ َو َك‬

And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their
Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let
not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly
life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our
remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in]
neglect.
[18:28]
 Abu Musa reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,
said, “Verily, the parable of good and bad company is that of a seller of
musk and a blacksmith. The seller of musk will give you perfume, you
will buy some, or you will notice a pleasant smell. As for the blacksmith,
he will burn your clothes, or you will notice a bad smell.”
[Sahīh al-Bukharī 5534, Sahīh Muslim 2628]
3- Reading and contemplating over the
Quran
 Abu Bakrah reported: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah,
which of the people are best?” The Prophet, peace and
blessings be upon him, said, “One whose life is long and his
deeds are good.” The man said, “Which of the people
are worst?” The Prophet said, “One whose life is long and his
deeds are evil.”
[Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2330]
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace
and blessings be upon him, said, “Remain upright, though
you cannot encompass it entirely. Know that the most
favorable of your deeds is prayer and that none can
preserve his ablution but a believer.”
Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 278
 Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him)
reported: I asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings
be upon him): “Which deed is dearest to Allah?” He said:
“Offering prayer at the appointed time.” I said: “Then, what
comes next?” He said: “Dutifulness to one's parents.” I said:
“Then, what comes next?” He said: “Jihad in the way of
Allah.” These were the things the Messenger of Allah (may
Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to me, and if I
had asked him for more, he would have given me more.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
 Abu Hurayrah narrated that Prophet (pbuh) said:
“‘The mufridoon have gone ahead.’ They said, ‘O Messenger
of Allaah, who are the mufridoon?’ He said, ‘Those men and
women who remember Allaah much.’”
[Sahih Muslim]
How Important is a minute?
 Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Whoever says Subhan Allah wa bi hamdih (Praise
and glory be to Allah) one hundred times,
morning and evening, his sins will be erased even
if they are like the foam of the sea.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhari, 6042; Muslim, 2691)
 Abu Dawood narrated from Abu’l-Dardaa’ (may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Shall I not tell you of the best of
your deeds and that which is most pure in the sight of your
Lord, that which raises you more in status and is better for
you than giving gold and silver (in charity), and better than
your meeting your enemy and striking their necks and they
strike your necks?’ They said, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allaah.’
He said, ‘Remembering Allaah (dhikr).’”
[Sunan Abi Dawood]
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Whoever attends a funeral until he offers the (funeral)
prayer will have one qirat (of reward) and whoever attends
until the burial is done will have two qirats.” It was said:
“What are the two qirats?” He said: “Like two great
mountains.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1261; Muslim, 945)
 Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) say: “Whoever would like his provision to be
increased and his lifespan extended, let him uphold his
ties of kinship.” 
(Narrated by al-Bukhari, 5639; Muslim, 2557)
 Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) said:
“Who among you is fasting today?”
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I am.”
He said: “Who among you has attended a funeral today?” Abu Bakr
(may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I have.”
He said: “Who among you has fed a poor person today?’ Abu Bakr
(may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I have.”
He said: “Who among you has visited a sick person today?” Abu Bakr
(may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I have.”
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “These
(traits) are not combined in a person but he will enter
Paradise.” (Narrated by Muslim, 1028) 
 GOLDEN RULE

Good deeds, righteous deeds, on one hand are a product of taqwa, and
on the other hand they build taqwa. It’s both a product as well as a
builder because of the more righteous deeds.
Adam Adler’s research
Findings of Adam Adler

• Gadgets and smartphones have hijacked most of our

personal space.
• People who utilize their personal space best are the ones
most successful in life.
GREAT TIP!
• When stuck in traffic, spend that time to do zikr.
• Research about best azkaar.
• Organize your drawers and place your keys and items accordingly so
that you don’t waste your time finding them.
Duaas to Memorise
‫‪Duaa to Memorise‬‬

‫ك َر ْح َمةً َوهَيِّْئ لَنَا ِم ْن َأ ْم ِرنَا‬‫َربَّنَا آتِنَا ِمن لَّ ُدن َ‬

‫‪َ  ‬ر َش ًدا‬

‫اے پروردگار‪ ،‬ہم کو اپنی رحمت خاص سے نواز اور ہمارا معاملہ درست‬
‫کر دے‬
Research Assignment
• Read tafseer of Surah al Asr.