Prohibition of False Testimony

Abu Bakrah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Shall I not inform you of one of the gravest of the cardinal sins?" We said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!" He (PBUH) said, "To join others as partners with Allah in worship and to be undutiful to one's parents." The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) sat up from his reclining position (in order to stress the importance of what he was going to say) and added, "I warn you making a false statement and giving a false testimony. I warn you against making a false statement and giving a false testimony." The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) kept on repeating this (warning) till we wished he should stop.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Commentary

The contents of this Hadith mark the severity of making a false statement profusely clear. Like many major sins, the immorality of giving false testimony is very common among the present-day Muslims. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) repeated the warning many times until his companions wished he (SAW) would stop. The repetition signifies the prohibition of false testimony and the wish signifies the fear that invoked in the hearts of the prophets companions when they repeatedly heard it.

Dua’s to Recite in the Morning and Evening

v  Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who recites in the morning and in the evening the statement: 'Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection and I begin with praising Him)' one hundred times, will not be surpassed on the Day of Resurrection by anyone with better deeds than one who utters the same words or utters more of these words." [Muslim]

v  Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and said, "What a trouble I suffered from a scorpion which stung me last night!" He (PBUH) said, "Had you said in the evening: 'A'udhu bikalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaqa (I seek the protection of Allah's Perfect Words from the evil of whatever He has created),' it would not have harmed you." [Muslim]

v  Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) used to say in the morning: "Allahumma bika asbahna, wa bika amsaina, wa bika nahya, wa bika namutu, wa ilaikan-nushur (O Allah! With Your Power we have come to the morning, with Your Power we come to the evening, with Your Power we live, and we die, and to You will we return)." In the evening he would say: "Allahumma bika amsaina, wa bika nahya, wa bika namutu, wa ilaikan-nushur (O Allah! With Your Power, we have come to the evening, by You do we live, by You do we die, and to You is the return)." [At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud]

v  Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: Abu Bakr asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Teach me some words so that I may recite them in the morning and in the evening." The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Recite these words: 'Allahumma fatiras-samawati wal-ardi, 'alimal-ghaibi wash-shahadati, Rabba kulli shai'in wa malikahu. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Anta, a'udhu bika min sharri nafsi, wa sharrish-Shaitani wa shirkihi (O Allah! Creator of the heavens and the earth! Knower of the hidden and the exposed! Rubb of everything and everyone. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but You. I seek Your Protection from the evil of my own self from the evil of Satan and from the evil of Shirk to which he calls)."' The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) added: "Recite these words in the morning and the evening and when you go to bed." [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]

v  Abdullah bin Khubaib (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to me, "Recite Surat Al-Ikhlas and Al-Mu'awwidhatain (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas) three times at dawn and dusk. It will suffice you in all respects." [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]

v  Uthman bin 'Affan (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who recites three times every morning and evening: 'Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma'as-mihi shai'un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama'i, wa Huwas-Sami'ul-'Alim (In the Name of Allah with Whose Name there is protection against every kind of harm in the earth or in the heaven, and He is the All-Hearing and All-Knowing),' nothing will harm him." [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]

Equality of Slaves in Islam

Allah, the Exalted, says: "Worship Allah and join none with Him (in worship); and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess." (4:36)

Al-Ma'rur bin Suwaid (RA) reported: I saw Abu Dharr (RA) wearing a nice gown, and his slave was also wearing one similar to it. I asked him about it, and he said that he had exchanged harsh words with a person during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and put him to shame by making a reference to his mother. That person came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and made mention of that to him. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah said, "You are a person who has remnants of the 'Days of Ignorance' in you. Your slaves are your brothers. Allah has placed them under your authority. He who has his brother under him, should feed him from whatever he eats, and dress him with whatever he wears, and do not burden them (assign burdensome task to them) beyond their capacity; and if you burden them then help them. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Islam has laid great emphasis on good treatment of slaves. The ayat and hadith above contain the illumination about treatment of slaves in Islam.The slaves should be treated fairly in all matters such that they should have the same food and clothes which the master has, or he should give them such wages that they can afford to buy the same food and clothes. In Islam all humans are equal in the eyes of Allah and if someone is superior then it might be because of his Taqwa neither wealth nor high status. The slaves have the status of brother and they have the same human needs as the master. Same goes for the laborers in factories, shops, offices and homes. It is equally important that the work load on slaves and laborers be considered thoroughly and they should not be over burdened with work more than there capability. Pride on one’s lineage and criticism of others on this account is an act of ignorance and exceedingly unacknowledged by Islam. Being a Muslim we should keep ourselves away from such conceited views. So a slave should not be treated badly because of their cast. By issuing the instruction mentioned in the Hadith, Islam has established equality in the true meanings of the word. Islam promotes brotherhood between the employers and employed the master and the slave, the ruler and the ruled. It also urges them to be sensitive and helpful to each other. By stressing the rights of people, it teaches both classes to love and respect each other. In another hadith

Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "When your servant brings food for you and you do not seat him with you, you should at least give him a morsel or two out of it because he has prepared it himself."  [Al-Bukhari]

The sense of equality of people is so much emphasized by Islam that if a servant brings meal to his master, this latter should make him sit by his side to take the meal with him. If this is not possible for a reason or another, then he should give some portion of the meal to the servant.