The Breath of the People of the Fire

November 19, 2025 Salafi Knowledge Abu Ya'la, al-Albani, al-Bazzar, al-Jannah wa al-Nar, al-Nar, Anas b. Malik, Encouragement and Discouragement, Ferocity of Hell-Fire, Hadith, Hell, Jahannam, Musnad, People of the Fire, Sahih al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, Sunnah, The Fire

Anas b. Mālik, may Allāh be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “If there were 100,000 or more in this masjid, and among them was a man from the people of the Fire, and he were to breathe and his breath were to touch them: the masjid and those in it would be burnt.” Reported by Abū Yaʿlá.

Graded ṣaḥīḥ by al-Albānī in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb (3668).

And al-Bazzār narrated it with the wording:

“If there were 100,000 or more in the masjid, then a man from the people of the Fire were to breathe, he would have burnt them all.”

Graded ṣaḥīḥ li ghayrih by al-Albānī.

Why the Angel Mīkāʾīl Stopped Laughing

November 19, 2025 Salafi Knowledge Ahmad, al-Albani, al-Nar, Anas ibn Malik, Angels, Encouragement and Discouragement, Gabriel, Hadith, Hasan li ghayrih, Hell, Jibril, Laughing, Mika'eel, Musnad Ahmad, Sahih al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, Sunnah, The Fire

Anas b. Mālik, may Allāh be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said to Jibrīl, “Why have I never seen Mīkāʾīl laughing?” He said, “Mīkāʾīl has not laughed since the Fire was created.” Reported by Aḥmad (13343).

Graded ḥasan li ghayrih by al-Albānī in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb (3664).

Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq

November 18, 2025 Salafi Knowledge 'Ilm al-Rijal, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, al-Bukhari, al-Khulafa al-Rashidun, al-Mu'allimi, al-Tarikh al-Kabir, Biographies, Biographies of the Salaf, Companions of the Prophet, Hadith transmitters, History of Islam, Rijal, Sahabah, Tarajim, Tarikh al-Islam, The Rightly Guided Caliphs

al-Tārīkh al-Kabīr by al-Bukhārī (d. 256)

Imām al-Bukhārī رحمه الله includes an entry for Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه under the letter ʿayn (ع). He says:

“From them is ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Quḥāfah Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq may Allāh be pleased with him.

And he is ʿAtīq b. ʿUthmān b. ʿĀmir b. ʿAmr b. Kaʿb b. Saʿd b. Tamīm b. Murrah b. Kaʿb b. Luʾayy b. Ghālib, al-Qurashī then al-Tamīmī.

Ibn Abī Uways said: from ʿAbd Allāh b. Wahb: from Yūnus: from Ibn Shihāb, “He passed away after the Prophet ﷺ after two years and some months.”

Abū Nuʿaym said: Muḥammad b. Sharīk al-Makkī narrated to us, he said: Ibn Abī Mulaykah narrated to me: from ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Zubayr, may Allāh be pleased with them both, who said, “I was named with the name of my grandfather Abū Bakr, and I was given a kunyah with his kunyah.””

See al-Muʿallimī’s edition (5: 1, no. 1).

Give Charity to a Close Relative Who Has Enmity Towards You

November 18, 2025 Salafi Knowledge Ahmad, al-Albani, al-Tabarani, Aqarib, Best charity, Best Sadaqah, Blood relations, Charity, Close Relatives, enmity, good deeds, Hadith, Sadaqah, Sahih al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, Ties of the Womb

Umm Kulthūm bt. ʿUqbah, may Allāh be pleased with her, reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “The best charity is charity to a close relative who secretly harbours enmity.” Reported by al-Ṭabarānī in al-Kabīr.

Graded ṣaḥīḥ by al-Albānī in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb (894).

Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām, may Allāh be pleased with him, reported that a man asked the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ about charity and which form is the best. He said, “To the close relative who secretly harbours enmity.” Reported by Aḥmad and al-Ṭabarānī.

Graded ṣaḥīḥ li ghayrih by al-Albānī in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb (893).

41 Moderation in Sunnah is Better than Striving in Bidʿah

November 18, 2025 Salafi Knowledge Abdullah ibn Masud, al-Albani, al-Hakim, al-Ibanah, al-Marwazi, al-Mundhiri, Bid'ah, Encouragement and Discouragement, Ibn Battah, Innovation, Mawquf, Moderation, Sahih al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, Salaf, Salafi Da'wah, Salafi Manhaj, Salafiyyah, Statements of the Salaf, Sunnah

ʿAbd Allāh b. Masʿūd, may Allāh be pleased with him, said, “Moderation in the Sunnah is better than striving in innovation.” Reported by al-Ḥākim.

Ṣaḥīḥ Mawqūf: al-Ḥākim (357), Ibn Baṭṭah in al-Ibānah (201), and al-Marwazī in al-Sunnah (p. 30).

Kicked in the Path of Knowledge

November 14, 2025 Salafi Knowledge Abd al-Razzaq al-San'ani, Abu Nu'aym al-Fadl ibn Dukayn, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, allah, Hadith, islam, Jarh wa Ta'dil, Knowledge, Manners of a Student of Knowledge, Qur'an, religion, Rijal Criticism, Science of Hadith, Seeking knowledge, Student etiquette, Sunnah, Tarikh Baghdad, Testing hadith transmitters, Travelling for knowledge, Ulum al-Hadith, Virtues of Imam Ahmad, Yahya ibn Ma'een

Aḥmad b. Manṣūr al-Ramādī (d. 265) said, “I went out with Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal (d. 241) and Yaḥyá b. Maʿīn (d. 233) to ʿAbd al-Razzāq (d. 211), as their servant.

When we returned to al-Kūfah, Yaḥyá b. Maʿīn said to Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, “I want to test Abū Nuʿaym (d. 218/19).” Aḥmad said to him, “You don’t want to, the man is trustworthy.” Yaḥyá b. Maʿīn said, “No, I must.” So he took a piece of paper and wrote 30 ḥadīths on it from the ḥadīths of Abū Nuʿaym, and he placed at the head of every ten traditions, a ḥadīth that was not from his ḥadīths.

They then came to Abū Nuʿaym and knocked on the door, so he came out and sat on a clay bench opposite his door. He took Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal and sat him on his right, and he took Yaḥyá b. Maʿīn and sat him on his left, then I sat below the bench.

Then Yaḥyá b. Maʿīn took out the sheet of paper and read ten ḥadīths to him while Abū Nuʿaym stayed silent. He then read the eleventh, and Abū Nuʿaym said, “This is not from my ḥadīth – cross it out.” He then read the second ten while Abū Nuʿaym stayed silent. Then he read the second ḥadīth and Abū Nuʿaym said, “This is not from my ḥadīth – cross it out.” Then he read the third ten and read the third ḥadīth, and Abū Nuʿaym changed and his eyes rolled backed. He turned to Yaḥyá b. Maʿīn and said, “As for this one – and Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal’s forearm was in his hand – he is too pious to do something like this, and as for this one – meaning me – he is too insignificant to do something like this, but this is your doing o doer!” He then took out his leg and kicked Yaḥyá b. Maʿīn, knocking him off the bench. He then got up and entered his house.

Aḥmad said to Yaḥyá, “Did I not forbid you from the man and tell you he was reliable?” he said, “By Allāh, his kicking me is dearer to me than my journey.”

Reported by al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī in Tārīkh Baghdād (14: 315-316) ed. Bashshār ʿAwwād Maʿrūf.

Mentioning a Deceased Person by Name and the Evil Deeds He Used to Do

November 2, 2025 Salafi Knowledge Backbiting, Bukhari, Deceased in Islam, Fatawa, Fatawa Nur 'ala al-Darb, Funeral Rites, Hadith, How to Give Nasihah, Janazah, Mawta, Nasihah, Speaking Ill of the Dead, Sunnah, Talking About the Dead, Uthaymin

Sh. ʿUthaymīn, may Allāh have mercy upon him, was asked about mentioning individuals by name, the evil deeds they used to do, and how Allāh dealt with them, and whether that falls under backbiting.

He, may Allāh have mercy upon him, replied:

“Yes, mentioning the dead with respect to their evil deeds was prohibited by the Messenger, upon him be praise and protection, for he said, ‘Do not speak badly of the dead, for they have reached the result of what they have sent forth.’ [al-Bukhārī (1329)]. Rather, pardon and forgiveness is sought from Allāh for them, it may be that his supplication is answered for them, thereby Allāh forgives them and pardons them. As for mentioning their evil deeds, then they are to be mentioned in an unspecified manner, so it is said, for example, in warning against interest, ‘Have you not seen people who violated the prohibitions of Allāh and they engaged in dealing with interest, then they departed from this worldly life and none of their wealth was buried with them, rather they left it behind for others, thus the spoil is for others and the loss is for them?’ and what is similar to that by which the living can take heed, as for mentioning him specifically, then this is not permissible.”

Fatāwá Nūr ʿalá al-Darb (12: 487, no. 6679).

How Should a Muslim Hold Himself to Account?

October 11, 2025 Salafi Knowledge Fatawa, Fatawa Nur 'ala al-Darb, Holding Oneself to Account, Muhasabah, Muhasabat-ul-nafs, Self-improvement, Uthaymin

Sh. al-ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ was asked how a Muslim should hold himself to account. The Shaykh mentioned the following points:

He should reflect over:

What he did
What he failed to do
What he said
What he stayed silent about

For example:

Why didn’t you say the truth in such-and-such place?
Why didn’t you do this good deed in this situation?
You did this evil deed in such-and-such a place
You gave a false testimony in such-and-such a place

This is how one holds himself to account with respect to what he did and what he failed to do, in order to straighten any crookedness and remove any evil – this is the meaning of holding oneself to account.

Source: Fatāwá Nūr ʿalá al-Darb li Faḍīlat al-Shaykh al-ʿAllāmah Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn, 12: 16, no. 6190.

How Many Times Should You Re-Read a Book?

October 6, 2025 Salafi Knowledge al-Nawawi, al-Sirsawi, Bin Baz, Hadith, Ibn Baz, Muraja'ah, Qira'ah, Re-Reading Books, Reading, Revision, Sahih Muslim, Seeking knowledge, Sharh Sahih Muslim, Students of Knowledge, Sunnah, Talab al-Ilm

It is mentioned by some that Imām ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Bāz re-read Imām al-Nawawī’s explanation of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim more than 60 times.

Source: al-Nawawī, Muḥyī al-Dīn Abī Zakariyyā Yaḥyá b. Sharaf. Minhāj al-Muḥaddithīn wa Sabīl Ṭālibīh al-Muḥaqqiqīn fī Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Abī al-Ḥusayn Muslim b. al-Ḥajjāj al-Qushayrī, ed. Māzin b. Muḥammad al-Sirsāwī. Damascus: Dār al-Minhāj (1441/2020), v.1, p. 127.

From the Dreams of the Salaf – Hamzah al-Zayyaat (d. 156/8)

October 2, 2025 Salafi Knowledge Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Ja'diyyaat, al-Mizzi, allah, Bashshar 'Awwad Ma'ruf, Biographies of the Salaf, Dreams, Hadith, Hadith transmitters, Hamzah al-Zayyaat, islam, Jarh wa Ta'dil, Matruk, Musnad Ibn al-Ja'd, Oneirocritics, Oneirology, Qur'an, religion, Salaf, Seeing the Prophet in a Dream, Tahdhib al-Kamal, Transmitters who were righteous but weak in hadith, Yahya Ibn Ma'in

In the Musnad of Ibn al-Jaʿd (1: 275, no. 41) edited by ʿAbd al-Hādī, the following dream is mentioned:

ʿAlī b. Mus-hir said that he and Ḥamzah al-Zayyāt (d. 156/8) heard 500 or so traditions from Abān b. Abī ʿAyyāsh.

Ḥamzah told ʿAlī, “I saw the Prophet ﷺ in a dream and presented them to him; he did not recognise any of them except a few – five or six – aḥādīth, so I abandoned [taking] ḥadīth from him.”

Although transmitters and their reports are not graded based upon dreams, this particular dream was sound because the Imāms of Jarḥ and Taʿdīl (Accreditation and Impugnment), who investigated Abān’s reports, said the following regarding him:

Yaḥyá b. Maʿīn (d. 233) said, “Weak.”

He also said, “His ḥadīth are nothing.”

He also said, “Abān is abandoned in ḥadīth.”

Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal (d. 241) said, “Abān b. Abī ʿAyyāsh is abandoned in ḥadīth, people abandoned his ḥadīth from long ago. When Wakīʿ would come across his ḥadīth, he would say, ‘a man’ and not name him due to deeming him weak.”

Aḥmad b. Ḥumayd said he heard Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal say, “Nothing should be written from Abān b. Abī ʿAyyāsh.” Ibn Ḥumayd said, “Is he affected by innovation?” He replied, “He was rejected in ḥadīth.”

ʿAmr b. ʿAlī (d. 249) said, “Abandoned in ḥadīth, although he is a righteous man.”

He also said, “Yaḥyá [b. Maʿīn] and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān [b. Mahdī] would not narrate from him.”

al-Bukhārī (d. 256) said, “Shuʿbah (d. 160) used to think poorly of him.”

When Abū Zurʿah (d. 264) was asked whether Abān lied deliberately, he replied, “No, he used to hear ḥadīth from Anas [b. Mālik], Shahr [b. Ḥawshab], and al-Ḥasan [al-Baṣrī], and then not make a distinction between them.”

Abū Ḥātim al-Rāzī (d. 277) said, “Abandoned in ḥadīth, and he was a righteous man, however he was afflicted with a poor memory.”

al-Nasāʾī (d. 303) said, “Abandoned in ḥadīth.” He also said, “Unreliable, and his ḥadīth are not [to be] written down.”

See: Tahdhīb al-Kamāl of al-Mizzī (2: 19 onwards) ed. Bashshār ʿAwwād Maʿrūf.