Sunnats and Aadaab which every person needs to adhere to in his individual life – 1

There are many sunnats and aadaab that pertain to various departments of a person’s deeni and wordly life.

Some of these sunnats and aadaab relate to one’s family or one’s community or the general people, whom one interacts with (e.g. sunnats pertaining to parents, spouses, siblings, children, neighbours, guests, sunnats when travelling with one’s companions, sunnats relating to business, sunnats when entering a town, etc.).

However, there are certain sunnats and aadaab which each person should adhere to in regard to his individual self, in order to improve his relationship with Allah Ta’ala.

Through adhering to these sunnats and aadaab, one will be able to fulfil the rights he owes to Allah Ta’ala and the rights he owes to people, thereby making him a better Muslim and enabling him to acquire the goodness of Islam in his life.

Below we will mention the sunnats and aadaab which pertain to a person in his individual life.

1. One should be concerned about correcting one’s weaknesses and faults, and make a concerted effort to correct oneself.

عن شداد بن أوس، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال: الكيس من دان نفسه وعمل لما بعد الموت، والعاجز من أتبع نفسه هواها وتمنى على الله قال أبو عيسى: هذا حديث حسن (سنن الترمذي، الرقم: 2459)

Hazrat Shaddaad bin Aus (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “An intelligent person is he who takes stock of himself and prepares for the life after death, and a foolish person is he who follows his whims and desires (against the laws of shariah) and places false hopes that (despite sinning), Allah Ta’ala will forgive him.”

عن عمر بن الخطاب ، أنه قال في خطبته : حاسبوا أنفسكم قبل أن تحاسبوا (المصنف لابن أبي شيبة، الرقم: 35600)

Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) is reported to have said, “Take an account of your deeds in this world ( by pondering over your weaknesses and faults) before the time comes when you have to give an account (before Allah Ta’ala).”

2. One should daily make istighfaar and taubah for the sins, wrongs or mistakes that one may have committed knowingly or unknowingly.

Allah Ta’ala says:

يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا (التحريم: 8)

O you who believe! Repent to Allah with a sincere repentance.

عن عبد الله بن بسر قال قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: طوبى لمن وجد في صحيفته استغفارا كثيرا (سنن ابن ماجة، الرقم: 3818)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Busr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Glad tidings be for that person who has abundant istighfaar in his book of deeds.”

عن أبي هريرة: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: والله إني لأستغفر الله وأتوب إليه في اليوم أكثر من سبعين مرة (صحيح البخاري، الرقم: 6307)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports, “I heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) mention, ‘By Allah, I make istighfaar and taubah more than seventy times in a day.’”

Note: Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was sinless. Despite being sinless, he would make abundant istighfaar and taubah as he felt that the Ibaadat which he carried out was not in conformity to the majesty and greatness of Allah Ta’ala.

How much more is there a need for us, his ummah, to make istighfaar and taubah daily as we are not sinless and our ibaadaat is deficient and full of weaknesses.

3. One should reserve some time daily to recite the Qur’aan Majeed, recite durood shareef and make some zikr.

عن ابن عمر، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إن هذه القلوب تصدأ، كما يصدأ الحديد إذا أصابه الماء قيل: يا رسول الله، وما جلاؤها؟ قال: كثرة ذكر الموت وتلاوة القرآن (شعب الإيمان للبيهقي رقم 1859)

Hazrat ibn Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “Indeed these hearts rust just as iron rusts when water comes over it.” The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) asked, “O Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), what is the way to cleanse it?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied: “Remembering death excessively and reciting the Qur’aan Majeed.”

وعن أبي ذر رضي الله عنه قال قلت يا رسول الله أوصني قال عليك بتقوى الله فإنه رأس الأمر كله قلت يا رسول الله زدني قال عليك بتلاوة القرآن فإنه نور لك في الأرض وذخر لك في السماء (صحيح ابن حبان، الرقم: 361)

Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports, “I once asked Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), ‘O Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), give me some advice?’ Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, ‘Firmly hold onto taqwa, for it is the head (highest) of all deeds.’ I then said, ‘O Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), give me more advice.’ Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, ‘Firmly hold onto the recitation of the Qur’aan Majeed, for it is a light for you in this world and a treasure for you in the hereafter.’”

عن أبي هريرة قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: من قرأ القرآن وحمد الرب وصلى على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم واستغفر ربه فقد طلب الخير مكانه (شعب الإيمان، الرقم: 2084، وسنده ضعيف كما في القول البديع صـ 280)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “The one who recites the Quraan Majeed, praises Allah Ta’ala (makes zikr), recites Durood upon Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and seeks forgiveness from his Rabb has sought goodness from the true source of goodness (i.e. he has carried out actions which are a source of goodness for him).”

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال من صلى علي عشرا صلى الله عليه مئة ومن صلى علي مئة صلى الله عليه ألفا ومن زاد صبابة وشوقا كنت له شفيعا وشهيدا يوم القيامة (أخرجه أبو موسى المديني بسند قال الشيخ مغلطاى لا بأس به، كذا في القول البديع صـ 236)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Whoever sends salutations upon me ten times, Allah Ta’ala will send salutations upon him one hundred times, and whoever sends salutations upon me one hundred times, Allah Ta’ala will send salutations upon him one thousand times, and whoever increases (salutations upon me) out of love (for me) and eagerness (for gaining reward), I will intercede and testify for him on the day of Qiyaamah.”