Hadith Jibril on Iman, Islam, and Ihsan: The foundational hadith of Islam

one day while the Prophet ﷺ was sitting in the company of some people, and ˹the angel˺ Gabriel came to him and said: What is Īmān (Faith)? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Faith is to (1) believe in Allah, (2) His angels, (3) meeting with Him, (4) His Messengers, and (5) to believe in Resurrection."

He (Gabriel) said: What is Islām? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "To (1) worship Allah and not to ascribe any partners to Him, (2) to establish Ṣalāh (Prayer), (3) to pay the compulsory charity (Zakāh), and (4) to fast during the month of Ramaḍān."

He (Gabriel) said: "What is Iḥsān (Excellence in Faith)?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "To (1) worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you are unable to see Him (i.e. achieve such as state) (2) ˹know˺ that He is watching you."

He (Gabriel) said: When is the Hour (the Last Day)? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The answerer has no better knowledge than the questioner. But I will inform you about its signs. (1) When a servant woman gives birth to her master, and (2) when the shepherds of black camels start boasting and competing with others in the construction of taller buildings, (3) ˹and it (the Hour) is one of five ˹things˺ which nobody knows except Allah." The Prophet ﷺ then recited: "Verily, with Allah (alone) is the knowledge of the Hour... (Luqmān 31:34)"

Then he (Gabriel) left and the Prophet ﷺ ˹asked his companions˺ to call him back, but they could not see him. Then the Prophet ﷺ said, "That was Gabriel who came to teach the people their religion."

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بَارِزًا يَوْمًا لِلنَّاسِ فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ، فَقَالَ: مَا الإِيمَانُ؟ قَالَ: «الإِيمَانُ أَنْ (١) تُؤْمِنَ بِاللَّهِ، (٢) وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ، (٣) وَبِلِقَائِهِ، (٤) وَرُسُلِهِ، (٥) وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْبَعْثِ۔»

قَالَ: مَا الإِسْلاَمُ؟ قَالَ: «الإِسْلاَمُ أَنْ (١) تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكَ بِهِ، (٢) وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةَ، (٣) وَتُؤَدِّيَ الزَّكَاةَ الْمَفْرُوضَةَ، (٤) وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ۔»

قَالَ: مَا الإِحْسَانُ؟ قَالَ: أَنْ (١) تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ (٢) فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ۔»

قَالَ: مَتَى السَّاعَةُ؟ قَالَ: «مَا الْمَسْئُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ۔ وَسَأُخْبِرُكَ عَنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا: (١) إِذَا وَلَدَتِ الأَمَةُ رَبَّهَا، (٢) وَإِذَا تَطَاوَلَ رُعَاةُ الإِبِلِ الْبُهْمُ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ، (٣) فِي خَمْسٍ لاَ يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ۔» ثُمَّ تَلاَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: {إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ} الآيَةَ

ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ فَقَالَ رُدُّوهُ فَلَمْ يَرَوْا شَيْئًا فَقَالَ: «هَذَا جِبْرِيلُ جَاءَ يُعَلِّمُ النَّاسَ دِينَهُمْ۔»