Pillars of Islam

Narrated Talha bin 'Ubaid-Ullah:

A bedouin with unkempt hair came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Inform me what Allah has made compulsory for me as regards the prayers." He replied: "You have to offer perfectly the five compulsory prayers in a day and night (24 hours), unless you want to pray Nawafil." The bedouin further asked, "Inform me what Allah has made compulsory for me as regards fasting." He replied, "You have to fast during the whole month of Ramadan, unless you want to fast more as Nawafil." The bedouin further asked, "Tell me how much Zakat Allah has enjoined on me." Thus, Allah's Apostle informed him about all the rules (i.e. fundamentals) of Islam. The bedouin then said, "By Him Who has honored you, I will neither perform any Nawafil nor will I decrease what Allah has enjoined on me. Allah's Apostle said, "If he is saying the truth, he will succeed (or he will be granted Paradise)."

                                                          (Sahih Bukhari Volume 3, Book 31, Number 115)

                          GOLDEN PERIOD OF MUSLIM UMMAH

Narrated Ibrahim bin Sad from his father from his grand-father:

Abdur Rahman bin Auf said, "When we came to Medina as emigrants, Allah's Apostle established a bond of brotherhood between me and Sad bin Ar-Rabi'. Sad bin Ar-Rabi' said (to me), 'I am the richest among the Ansar, so I will give you half of my wealth and you may look at my two wives and whichever of the two you may choose I will divorce her, and when she has completed the prescribed period (before marriage) you may marry her.' Abdur-Rahman replied, "I am not in need of all that. Is there any market-place where trade is practiced?' He replied, "The market of Qainuqa." Abdur-Rahman went to that market the following day and brought some dried butter-milk (yogurt) and butter, and then he continued going there regularly. Few days later, 'AbdurRahman came having traces of yellow (scent) on his body. Allah's Apostle asked him whether he had got married. He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet said, 'Whom have you married?' He replied, 'A woman from the Ansar.' Then the Prophet asked, 'How much did you pay her?' He replied, '(I gave her) a gold piece equal in weigh to a date stone (or a date stone of gold)! The Prophet said, 'Give a Walima (wedding banquet) even if with one sheep .' "

                                                                      (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 34, Number 264)

                A man who will enter Paradise

One day the Prophet Peace be upon him looked at a man and said: Whoever likes to look at a man who will enter Paradise, let him look at this man.

Abdullah Ibn Abbas, who was present and heard this comment, followed the man who was favoured with this promise. He asked his permission to be his guest which the man accepted.

After observing him for three consecutive nights, without seeing anything extraordinary about him, Abdullah Ibn Abbas said: I don’t see anything about you which qualifies you to enter Paradise more than the rest of us. Can you remember one special thing you do of which I may not be aware.
After thinking for sometime the man said: Nothing is outstanding in my life except one thing, may be, that I go to bed with a pure and sound heart towards my friends (meaning to forgive others of their bad qualities and to think good of everybody).

Then Ibn Abbas exclaimed: This is exactly what qualifies you to enter paradise.

                                                                                                                           “Luminaries of Islam”