Do Not Trust Hadith Alone

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، قَالَ أَنَسٌ إِنَّهُ لَيَمْنَعُنِي أَنْ أُحَدِّثَكُمْ حَدِيثًا كَثِيرًا أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ تَعَمَّدَ عَلَىَّ كَذِبًا فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Anas: The fact which stops me from narrating a great number of Hadiths to you is that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever tells a lie against me intentionally, then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire."

Sahih al-Bukhari 108 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:108 See also: https://sunnah.com/muslim:2

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حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، سَلاَّمُ بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ، عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ رِدْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى حِمَارٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ عُفَيْرٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ يَا مُعَاذُ تَدْرِي مَا حَقُّ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ وَمَا حَقُّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللَّهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَإِنَّ حَقَّ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ أَنْ يَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلاَ يُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَحَقُّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ لاَ يُعَذِّبَ مَنْ لاَ يُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ أُبَشِّرُ النَّاسَ قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ تُبَشِّرْهُمْ فَيَتَّكِلُوا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

It is narrated on the authority of Mu'adh b. Jabal that he observed: I was riding behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on an ass known as 'Ufair. He (Mu'adh) observed: He (the Holy Prophet) said: Mu'adh, do you know what right has Allah over His bondsmen and what right have His bondsmen over Him? Mu'adh added: I replied: Allah and his Messenger know best. Upon this he (the Prophet remarked: The right of Allah over His bondsmen is that they should worship Allah and should not associate anything with Him, and the right of His bondsmen over Allah, Glorious and Sublime, is that He does not punish him who associates not anything with Him. He (Mu'adh) added: I said to the Messenger of Allah: Should I then give the tidings to the people? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Do not tell them this good news, for they would trust in it alone.

Sahih Muslim 30b https://sunnah.com/muslim:30b

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حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ رَدِيفُهُ عَلَى الرَّحْلِ قَالَ ‏"‏ يَا مُعَاذُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ لَبَّيْكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَسَعْدَيْكَ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ يَا مُعَاذُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ لَبَّيْكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَسَعْدَيْكَ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ يَا مُعَاذُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ لَبَّيْكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَسَعْدَيْكَ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلاَّ حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّارِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ أُخْبِرُ بِهَا النَّاسَ فَيَسْتَبْشِرُوا قَالَ ‏"‏ إِذًا يَتَّكِلُوا ‏"‏ فَأَخْبَرَ بِهَا مُعَاذٌ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ تَأَثُّمًا ‏.‏

It is reported on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Prophet of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) addressed Mu'adh b. Jabal as he was riding behind him to which he replied: At thy beck and call, and at thy pleasure, Messenger of Allah. He again called out: Mu'adh, to which he (again) replied: At thy beck and call, and at thy pleasure. He (the Holy Prophet) addressed him (again): Mu'adh, to which he replied: At thy beck and call, and at thy pleasure, Messenger of Allah. Upon this he (the Holy Prophet) observed: If anyone testifies (sincerely from his heart) that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His bondsman and His messenger, Allah immuned him from Hell. He (Mu'adh) said: Messenger of Allah, should I not then inform people of it, so that they may be of good cheer? He replied: Then they would trust in it alone. Mu'adh told about it at the time of his death, to avoid sinning.

Sahih Muslim 32 https://sunnah.com/muslim:32

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حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ يُونُسَ الْحَنَفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو كَثِيرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ كُنَّا قُعُودًا حَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَعَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ فِي نَفَرٍ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ بَيْنِ أَظْهُرِنَا فَأَبْطَأَ عَلَيْنَا وَخَشِينَا أَنْ يُقْتَطَعَ دُونَنَا وَفَزِعْنَا فَقُمْنَا فَكُنْتُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ فَزِعَ فَخَرَجْتُ أَبْتَغِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى أَتَيْتُ حَائِطًا لِلأَنْصَارِ لِبَنِي النَّجَّارِ فَدُرْتُ بِهِ هَلْ أَجِدُ لَهُ بَابًا فَلَمْ أَجِدْ فَإِذَا رَبِيعٌ يَدْخُلُ فِي جَوْفِ حَائِطٍ مِنْ بِئْرٍ خَارِجَةٍ - وَالرَّبِيعُ الْجَدْوَلُ - فَاحْتَفَزْتُ كَمَا يَحْتَفِزُ الثَّعْلَبُ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَا شَأْنُكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ كُنْتَ بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِنَا فَقُمْتَ فَأَبْطَأْتَ عَلَيْنَا فَخَشِينَا أَنْ تُقْتَطَعَ دُونَنَا فَفَزِعْنَا فَكُنْتُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ فَزِعَ فَأَتَيْتُ هَذَا الْحَائِطَ فَاحْتَفَزْتُ كَمَا يَحْتَفِزُ الثَّعْلَبُ وَهَؤُلاَءِ النَّاسُ وَرَائِي فَقَالَ ‏"‏ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَأَعْطَانِي نَعْلَيْهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ اذْهَبْ بِنَعْلَىَّ هَاتَيْنِ فَمَنْ لَقِيتَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ هَذَا الْحَائِطِ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ مُسْتَيْقِنًا بِهَا قَلْبُهُ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ ‏"‏ فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ لَقِيتُ عُمَرُ فَقَالَ مَا هَاتَانِ النَّعْلاَنِ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ هَاتَانِ نَعْلاَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَنِي بِهِمَا مَنْ لَقِيتُ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ مُسْتَيْقِنًا بِهَا قَلْبُهُ بَشَّرْتُهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ ‏.‏ فَضَرَبَ عُمَرُ بِيَدِهِ بَيْنَ ثَدْيَىَّ فَخَرَرْتُ لاِسْتِي فَقَالَ ارْجِعْ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَجْهَشْتُ بُكَاءً وَرَكِبَنِي عُمَرُ فَإِذَا هُوَ عَلَى أَثَرِي فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ مَا لَكَ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ لَقِيتُ عُمَرَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِالَّذِي بَعَثْتَنِي بِهِ فَضَرَبَ بَيْنَ ثَدْيَىَّ ضَرْبَةً خَرَرْتُ لاِسْتِي قَالَ ارْجِعْ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ يَا عُمَرُ مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى مَا فَعَلْتَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي أَبَعَثْتَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ بِنَعْلَيْكَ مَنْ لَقِيَ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ مُسْتَيْقِنًا بِهَا قَلْبُهُ بَشَّرَهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَلاَ تَفْعَلْ فَإِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يَتَّكِلَ النَّاسُ عَلَيْهَا فَخَلِّهِمْ يَعْمَلُونَ ‏.‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ فَخَلِّهِمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

It is reported on the authority of Abu Huraira: We were sitting around the Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him). Abu Bakr and Umar were also there among the audience. In the meanwhile the Messenger of Allah got up and left us, He delayed in coming back to us, which caused anxiety that he might be attacked by some enemy when we were not with him; so being alarmed we got up. I was the first to be alarmed. I, therefore, went out to look for the Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) and came to a garden belonging to the Banu an-Najjar, a section of the Ansar went round it looking for a gate but failed to find one. Seeing a rabi' (i. e. streamlet) flowing into the garden from a well outside, drew myself together, like a fox, and slinked into (the place) where God's Messenger was. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Is it Abu Huraira? I (Abu Huraira) replied: Yes, Messenger of Allah. He (the Holy Prophet) said: What is the matter with you? replied: You were amongst us but got up and went away and delayed for a time, so fearing that you might be attacked by some enemy when we were not with you, we became alarmed. I was the first to be alarmed. So when I came to this garden, I drew myself together as a fox does, and these people are following me. He addressed me as Abu Huraira and gave me his sandals and said: Take away these sandals of mine, and when you meet anyone outside this garden who testifies that there is no god but Allah, being assured of it in his heart, gladden him by announcing that he shall go to Paradise. Now the first one I met was Umar. He asked: What are these sandals, Abu Huraira? I replied: These are the sandals of the Messenger of Allah with which he has sent me to gladden anyone I meet who testifies that there is no god but Allah, being assured of it in his heart, with the announcement that he would go to Paradise. Thereupon 'Umar struck me on the breast and I fell on my back. He then said: Go back, Abu Huraira, So I returned to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and was about to break into tears. 'Umar followed me closely and there he was behind me. The Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be on him) said: What is the matter with you, Abu Huraira? I said: I happened to meet 'Umar and conveyed to him the message with which you sent me. He struck me on my breast which made me fall down upon my back and ordered me to go back. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: What prompted you to do this, 'Umar? He said: Messenger of Allah, my mother and father be sacrificed to thee, did you send Abu Huraira with your sandals to gladden anyone he met and who testified that there is no god but Allah, and being assured of it in his heart, with the tidings that he would go to Paradise? He said: Yes. He (Umar) said: Do not do it, for I am afraid that people will trust in it independently; so let them do (good) deeds. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Well, let them.

Sahih Muslim 31 https://sunnah.com/muslim:31

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حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمُعَاذٌ رَدِيفُهُ عَلَى الرَّحْلِ قَالَ ‏"‏ يَا مُعَاذُ بْنَ جَبَلٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ لَبَّيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَسَعْدَيْكَ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ يَا مُعَاذُ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ لَبَّيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَسَعْدَيْكَ‏.‏ ثَلاَثًا‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صِدْقًا مِنْ قَلْبِهِ إِلاَّ حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّارِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَفَلاَ أُخْبِرُ بِهِ النَّاسَ فَيَسْتَبْشِرُوا قَالَ ‏"‏ إِذًا يَتَّكِلُوا ‏"‏‏.‏ وَأَخْبَرَ بِهَا مُعَاذٌ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ تَأَثُّمًا ‏.‏

Narrated Anas bin Malik: "Once Muadh was along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as a companion rider. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "O Muadh bin Jabal." Muadh replied, "Labbaik and Sadaik. O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" Again the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Muadh!" Muadh said thrice, "Labbaik and Sadaik, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "There is none who testifies sincerely that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is his Apostle, except that Allah, will save him from the Hell-fire." Muadh said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ! Should I not inform the people about it so that they may have glad tidings?" He replied, "When the people hear about it, they will solely depend on it." Then Mu`adh narrated the above-mentioned Hadith just before his death, being afraid of committing sin (by not telling the knowledge).

Sahih al-Bukhari 128 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:128

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حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، سَمِعَ يَحْيَى بْنَ آدَمَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ، عَنْ مُعَاذٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كُنْتُ رِدْفَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى حِمَارٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ عُفَيْرٌ، فَقَالَ ‏"‏ يَا مُعَاذُ، هَلْ تَدْرِي حَقَّ اللَّهِ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ وَمَا حَقُّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللَّهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَإِنَّ حَقَّ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ أَنْ يَعْبُدُوهُ وَلاَ يُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَحَقَّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ لاَ يُعَذِّبَ مَنْ لاَ يُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَفَلاَ أُبَشِّرُ بِهِ النَّاسَ قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ تُبَشِّرْهُمْ فَيَتَّكِلُوا ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Muadh: I was a companion rider of the Prophet (ﷺ) on a donkey called 'Ufair. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked, "O Muadh! Do you know what Allah's right on His slaves is, and what the right of His slaves on Him is?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "Allah's right on His slaves is that they should worship Him (Alone) and should not worship any besides Him. And slave's right on Allah is that He should not punish him who worships none besides Him." I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Should I not inform the people of this good news?" He said, "Do not inform them of it, lest they should depend on it.

Sahih al-Bukhari 2856 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2856