I used to write everything which I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I intended (by it) to memorise it. The Quraysh prohibited me saying: Do you write everything that you hear from him while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is a human being: he speaks in anger and pleasure? So I stopped writing, and mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He signalled with his finger to him mouth and said: Write, by Him in Whose hand my soul lies, only right comes out from it. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 3646)  

كُنْتُ أَكْتُبُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَسْمَعُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أُرِيدُ حِفْظَهُ فَنَهَتْنِي قُرَيْشٌ وَقَالُوا تَكْتُبُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ سَمِعْتَهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَشَرٌ يَتَكَلَّمُ فِي الْغَضَبِ وَالرِّضَا؟ فَأَمْسَكْتُ عَنِ الْكِتَابِ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَوْمَأَ بِإِصْبَعِهِ إِلَى فِيهِ وَقَالَ «اكْتُبْ فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ مَا خَرَجَ مِنْهُ إِلَّا حَقٌّ»  

[Machine] He (the speaker) came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah, I want to learn from your teachings, so I intended to seek assistance through writing with my hand and keeping it close to my heart. If you agree to that." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, "If you want, learn my teachings and seek assistance through your hand and keep it close to your heart."  

أَنَّهُ أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَرْوِيَ مِنْ حَدِيثِكَ فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَسْتَعِينَ بِكِتَابِ يَدِي مَعَ قَلْبِي إِنْ رَأَيْتَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنْ كَانَ قَالَهُ «عِ حَدِيثِي ثُمَّ اسْتَعِنْ بِيَدِكَ مَعَ قَلْبِكَ»  

[Machine] "While we were around the Messenger of Allah ﷺ writing, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, 'Which two cities will be opened first, Constantinople or Rome?' The Prophet ﷺ replied, 'No, the city of Heraclius will be opened first.'"  

بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ حَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ نَكْتُبُ إِذْ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَيُّ الْمَدِينَتَيْنِ تُفْتَحُ أَوَّلًا قُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةُ أَوْ رُومِيَّةُ؟ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «لَا بَلْ مَدِينَةُ هِرَقْلَ أَوَّلًا»  

[Machine] "Please write to me about what you have confirmed from the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and about the Hadith of 'Umrah, as I have feared the loss of knowledge and its disappearance."  

أَنْ اكْتُبْ إِلَيَّ بِمَا ثَبَتَ عِنْدَكَ مِنَ الْحَدِيثِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَبِحَدِيثِ عَمْرَةَ فَإِنِّي قَدْ خَشِيتُ دُرُوسَ الْعِلْمِ وَذَهَابَهُ»  

[Machine] "Look at the sayings of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and write them down, as I fear the loss of knowledge and the departure of its people."  

أَنْ انْظُرُوا حَدِيثَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاكْتُبُوهُ فَإِنِّي قَدْ خِفْتُ دُرُوسَ الْعِلْمِ وَذَهَابَ أَهْلِهِ»  

[Machine] "Allah, the Exalted, is the All-Knower of it with my Lord in a Record." [Surah Taha 52]  

اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ رَبِّي فِي كِتَابٍ} [طه 52]  

[Machine] It is said, "Whoever does not write their knowledge, their knowledge is not considered knowledge."  

يُقَالُ «مَنْ لَمْ يَكْتُبْ عِلْمَهُ لَمْ يُعَدَّ عِلْمُهُ عِلْمًا»  

[Machine] Anas used to say to his sons, "O my sons, document this knowledge."  

أَنَّ أَنَسًا كَانَ يَقُولُ لِبَنِيهِ «يَا بَنِيَّ قَيِّدُوا هَذَا الْعِلْمَ»  

[Machine] "I saw Aban writing on Anas' blackboard."  

«رَأَيْتُ أَبَانَ يَكْتُبُ عِنْدَ أَنَسٍ فِي سَبُّورَةٍ»  

[Machine] There is no harm in that.  

لَا بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ  

[Machine] "That I should leave him and I came to him with his book, I read it to him and said to him, 'Did I hear this from you?' He said, 'Yes'."  

أَنْ أُفَارِقَهُ أَتَيْتُهُ بِكِتَابِهِ فَقَرَأْتُهُ عَلَيْهِ وَقُلْتُ لَهُ هَذَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْكَ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ  

[Machine] "I hear the hadith from Ibn Umar and Ibn Abbas at night, then I write it in a notebook."  

أَسْمَعُ مِنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ الْحَدِيثَ بِاللَّيْلِ فَأَكْتُبُهُ فِي وَاسِطَةِ الرَّحْلِ»  

[Machine] I am not interested in anything in life except honesty and generosity. As for honesty, it is a book written by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . And as for generosity, it is a land on which 'Amr ibn al-'As used to give charity and maintain.  

مَا يُرَغِّبُنِي فِي الْحَيَاةِ إِلَّا الصَّادِقَةُ وَالْوَهْطُ فَأَمَّا الصَّادِقَةُ فَصَحِيفَةٌ كَتَبْتُهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَمَّا الْوَهْطُ فَأَرْضٌ تَصَدَّقَ بِهَا عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ كَانَ يَقُومُ عَلَيْهَا  

[Machine] "He heard Umar ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, saying, 'Restrain knowledge with the book.'"  

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ رِضْوَانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ يَقُولُ «قَيِّدُوا الْعِلْمَ بِالْكِتَابِ»  

[Machine] He said, "Document this knowledge in the book."  

أَنَّهُ قَالَ «قَيِّدُوا هَذَا الْعِلْمَ بِالْكِتَابِ»  

[Machine] "He tells me the story and I write it down in the notebook until morning, then I write it."  

يُحَدِّثُنِي بِالْحَدِيثِ فَأَكْتُبُهُ فِي وَاسِطَةِ الرَّحْلِ حَتَّى أُصْبِحَ فَأَكْتُبَهُ»  

[Machine] "I used to write next to Ibn Abbas in a notebook, and I would also write on my sandals."  

«كُنْتُ أَكْتُبُ عِنْدَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فِي صَحِيفَةٍ وَأَكْتُبُ فِي نَعْلَيَّ»  

[Machine] I used to sit with Ibn Abbas and write in the manuscript until it was filled, then I would turn my sandal and write on its back.  

«كُنْتُ أَجْلِسُ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَأَكْتُبُ فِي الصَّحِيفَةِ حَتَّى تَمْتَلِئَ ثُمَّ أَقْلِبُ نَعْلَيَّ فَأَكْتُبُ فِي ظُهُورِهِمَا»  

[Machine] "I saw them writing the explanation at Mujahid's."  

«رَأَيْتُهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ التَّفْسِيرَ عِنْدَ مُجَاهِدٍ»  

[Machine] "I saw them writing with the tips of their fingers on the bamboo poles."  

«رَأَيْتُهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ عِنْدَ الْبَرَاءِ بِأَطْرَافِ الْقَصَبِ عَلَى أَكُفِّهِمْ»  

[Machine] "He explained to me and barely."  

«فَرَخَّصَ لِي وَلَمْ يَكَدْ»  

[Machine] "It was written with me."  

أَنَّهُ كَانَ عِنْدِي مَكْتُوبًا  

[Machine] Ata Ibn Abi Rabah used to be asked about things and he would write down what he would answer with in front of him.  

كَانَ «يُسْأَلُ عَطَاءُ بْنُ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ وَيُكْتَبُ مَا يُجِيبَ فِيهِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ»  

[Machine] He saw Nafi', a student of Ibn 'Umar, dictating his knowledge and writing in front of him.  

أَنَّهُ «رَأَى نَافِعًا مَوْلَى ابْنِ عُمَرَ يُمْلِي عِلْمَهُ وَيُكْتَبُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ»  

[Machine] Sufyan used to write the hadith at night on the wall, then he would erase it in the morning.  

«كَانَ سُفْيَانُ يَكْتُبُ الْحَدِيثَ بِاللَّيْلِ فِي الْحَائِطِ فَإِذَا أَصْبَحَ نَسَخَهُ ثُمَّ حَكَّهُ»  

[Machine] Fulan, a man from the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , narrated to me that Umar recognized him. I said, "Tell me that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Indeed, modesty, chastity, and the control of the tongue are not qualities of the heart, but rather they are part of faith, and they increase in the hereafter and decrease in this worldly life. And what increases in the hereafter is greater. Verily, foul language, arrogance, and greed are qualities of hypocrisy, and they increase in this worldly life and decrease in the hereafter. And what decreases in the hereafter is greater.'"  

حَدَّثَنِي فُلَانٌ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَعَرَفَهُ عُمَرُ قُلْتُ حَدَّثَنِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «إِنَّ الْحَيَاءَ وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْعِيَّ عِيَّ اللِّسَانِ لَا عِيَّ الْقَلْبِ وَالْفِقْهَ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ وَهُنَّ مِمَّا يَزِدْنَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ وَيُنْقِصْنَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا يَزِدْنَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ أَكْثَرُ وَإِنَّ الْبَذَاءَ وَالْجَفَاءَ وَالشُّحَّ مِنَ النِّفَاقِ وَهُنَّ مِمَّا يَزِدْنَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَيُنْقِصْنَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ وَمَا يُنْقِصْنَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ أَكْثَرُ»  

[Machine] Awun ibn Abdullah told me about it, and I found it fascinating, so I wrote it down. And here is the narration.  

حَدَّثَنِي بِهِ عَوْنُ بْنُ عبْدِ اللَّهِ فَأَعْجَبَنِي فَكَتَبْتُهُ فَإِذَا فِيهِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ  

[Machine] "O my sons and the sons of my brother, you are young people of a nation who are about to become elders like others, so seek knowledge. Whoever among you is unable to learn or teach it, let him write it and place it in his home."  

يَا بَنِيَّ وَبَنِي أَخِي إِنَّكُمْ صِغَارُ قَوْمٍ يُوشِكُ أَنْ تَكُونُوا كِبَارَ آخَرِينَ فَتَعَلَّمُوا الْعِلْمَ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَرْوِيَهُ أَوْ قَالَ يَحْفَظَهُ فَلْيَكْتُبْهُ وَلْيَضَعْهُ فِي بَيْتِهِ  

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever introduces a good practice that is followed, he will receive its reward and a reward equivalent to that of those who follow it, without that detracting from their reward in their slightest. And whoever introduces a bad practice that is followed, he will receive its sin and a burden of sin equivalent to that of those who follow it, without that detracting from their burden in the slightest.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 203)   

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «مَنْ سَنَّ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً عُمِلَ بِهَا بَعْدَهُ كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يُنْقَصَ مِنْ أَجْرِهِ شَيْءٌ وَمَنْ سَنَّ سُنَّةً سَيِّئَةً كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلُ وِزْرِ مَنْ يعَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يُنْقَصَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِم شَيْءٌ»  

If anyone summons other to follow right guidance, his reward will be equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without their rewards being diminished in any respect on that account; and if anyone summons others to follow error the sin of which sins being diminished in any respect on that account. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 4609)  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «مَنْ دَعَا إِلَى هُدًى كَانَ لَهُ مِنَ الْأَجْرِ مِثْلُ أُجُورِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ لَا يَنْقُصُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا وَمَنْ دَعَا إِلَى ضَلَالَةٍ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْإِثْمِ مِثْلُ آثَامِ مَنْ تَبِعَهُ لَا يَنْقُصُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ آثَامِهِمْ شَيْئًا»  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ delivered a sermon and exhorted the people to give charity. They were slow to respond until anger became apparent on his face. Then, a man from the Ansar came with a bag filled with items, and the people began to follow suit until it was seen on his face that he was delighted. He said, "Whoever starts a good practice will receive its reward and the reward of those who follow it, without reducing anything from their rewards. And whoever initiates an evil practice shall carry its burden and the burden of those who act upon it, without diminishing anything from their burdens."  

خَطَبَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَحَثَّ النَّاسَ عَلَى الصَّدَقَةِ فَأَبْطَئُوا حَتَّى بَانَ فِي وَجْهِهِ الْغَضَبُ ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ جَاءَ بِصُرَّةٍ فَتَتَابَعَ النَّاسُ حَتَّى رُئِيَ فِي وَجْهِهِ السُّرُورُ فَقَالَ «مَنْ سَنَّ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً كَانَ لَهُ أَجْرُهُ وَمِثْلُ أَجْرِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يُنْقَصَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْءٌ وَمَنْ سَنَّ سُنَّةً سَيِّئَةً كَانَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرُهُ وَمِثْلُ وِزْرِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يُنْقَصَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْءٌ»  

[Machine] The translation of the given Arabic sentence into English is: "Verily, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'I am the greatest of you in terms of reward on the Day of Resurrection, for I have my own reward and the reward of those who follow me.'"  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «أَنَا أَعْظَمُكُمْ أَجْرًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لِأَنَّ لِي أَجْرِي وَمِثْلَ أَجْرِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي»  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever invites others to a good deed, even if it is as small as inviting one person, he will be rewarded on the Day of Judgment as if he had done that deed himself, without any decrease in reward for either of them. Then he recited the verse: 'Stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned' [Quran 37:24]."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ دَعَا إِلَى أَمْرٍ وَلَوْ دَعَا رَجُلٌ رَجُلًا كَانَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَوْقُوفًا بِهِ لَازِمًا بِغَارِبِهِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ {وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ} [الصافات 24]  

[Machine] "Four things are given to a man after his death: one-third of his wealth if he had it before that and was obedient to Allah, righteous children who pray for him after his death, good deeds that the man practiced and are carried out after his death, and intercession if a hundred people intercede for him."  

«أَرْبَعٌ يُعْطَاهَا الرَّجُلُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ ثُلُثُ مَالِهِ إِذَا كَانَ فِيهِ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ لِلَّهِ مُطِيعًا وَالْوَلَدُ الصَّالِحُ يَدْعُو لَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهِ وَالسُّنَّةُ الْحَسَنَةُ يَسُنُّهَا الرَّجُلُ فَيُعْمَلُ بِهَا بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ وَالْمِائَةُ إِذَا شَفَعُوا لِلرَّجُلِ شُفِّعُوا فِيهِ»  

[Machine] "To make him sit on a chair, but he refused."  

أَنْ نُجْلِسَهُ إِلَى سَارِيَةٍ فَأَبَى»  

[Machine] "To lean on the pillar."  

أَنْ يَسْتَنِدَ إِلَى السَّارِيَةِ»  

[Machine] Ibrahim used to not start a conversation until he was asked.  

كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ «لَا يَبْتَدِئُ الْحَدِيثَ حَتَّى يُسْأَلَ»  

[Machine] Al-Harith ibn Qays al-Ju'fi was one of the companions of Abdullah who admired him, so he used to sit with him. When the men became numerous, he would stand up and leave them.  

«كَانَ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الْجُعْفِيُّ وَكَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُوا مُعْجَبِينَ بِهِ فَكَانَ» يَجْلِسُ إِلَيْهِ الرَّجُلُ وَالرَّجُلَانِ فَيُحَدِّثُهُمَا فَإِذَا كَثُرُوا قَامَ وَتَرَكَهُمْ  

[Machine] It was said to him when Abdullah died, "If you stayed and taught the people the Sunnah?" So he said, "Do you want my back to be trampled upon?"  

قِيلَ لَهُ حِينَ مَاتَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ لَوْ قَعَدْتَ فَعَلَّمْتَ النَّاسَ السُّنَّةَ؟ فَقَالَ «أَتُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُوطَأَ عَقِبِي»  

[Machine] "Do you not see? A trial for the guided, a humiliation for the follower?"  

«أَوَ مَا تَرَى؟ فِتْنَةً لِلْمَتْبُوعِ مَذَلَّةً لِلتَّابِعِ؟»  

[Machine] "Their heels are to be stepped upon."  

أَنْ تُوطَأَ أَعْقَابُهُمْ»  

[Machine] Do you have a need? If he had a need, he would fulfill it, but if he asks, he will leave. And he said, "Do you have a need?"  

أَلَكَ حَاجَةٌ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ حَاجَةٌ قَضَاهَا وَإِنْ عَادَ يَمْشِي مَعَهُ قَامَ فَقَالَ أَلَكَ حَاجَةٌ  

[Machine] "To have your feet stepped on."  

أَنْ تُوطَأَ أَعْقَابُكُمْ»  

[Machine] And he said, "Indeed, your actions, this or your behavior, this, is humiliation for the follower and a trial for the follower."  

وَقَالَ «إِنَّ صَنِيعَكُمْ هَذَا أَوْ مَشْيَكُمْ هَذَا مَذَلَّةٌ لِلتَّابِعِ وَفِتْنَةٌ لِلْمَتْبُوعِ»  

[Machine] "And he said, 'If you want the foundation of the building, then guide me until I come with you.' He said, 'So I went with him.' Then while we were walking, a man came and walked with him. He stood and said, 'Do you need something?' He said, 'No.' He said, 'Either you do not need, then go.' Then he turned to me and said, 'You also go.' So I went until I diverged from the path."  

وَقَالَ «إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَسَاسَ الْبِنَاءِ فَآذِنِّي حَتَّى أَجِيءَ مَعَكَ» قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ قَالَ فَبَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ نَمْشِي إِذْ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَمَشَى مَعَهُ فَقَامَ فَقَالَ «أَلَكَ حَاجَةٌ؟» قَالَ لَا قَالَ «إمَّا لَا فَاذْهَبْ» ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ «أَنْتَ أَيْضًا فَاذْهَبْ» قَالَ فَذَهَبْتُ حَتَّى خَالَفْتُ الطَّرِيقَ  

[Machine] "When spring would come, it would say, 'I seek refuge in Allah from your evil', meaning its companions."  

أَنَّ الرَّبِيعَ كَانَ إِذَا أَتَوْهُ يَقُولُ «أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شَرِّكُمْ» يَعْنِي أَصْحَابَهُ  

[Machine] "To say to them what I do not do."  

أَنْ أَقُولَ لَهُمْ مَا لَا أَفْعَلُ»  

[Machine] "I wished that I had safely escaped from this work, without any harm occurring to me or others."  

«وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي نَجَوْتُ مِنْ عَمَلِي كَفَافًا لَا لِي وَلَا عَلَيَّ»  

[Machine] "Do not walk in my footsteps, for by Allah, if you knew what difficulties I have faced, no one among you would follow me."  

«لَا تَطَئُوا عَقِبِي فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ مَا أُغْلِقُ عَلَيْهِ بَابِي مَا تَبِعَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنْكُمْ»  

[Machine] "A trial for the followed, a humiliation for the follower."  

«فِتْنَةٌ لِلْمَتْبُوعِ مَذَلَّةٌ لِلتَّابِعِ»