Hadith 7 — The Deen is Naseehah: Sincerity and Advice

[Arabic,إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ، نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ. ]

Indeed, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our wrong actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide; whomsoever He leaves astray, none can guide. I bear witness there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone without partner, and Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and Messenger.

---

Part One: The Comprehensive Meaning of Naseehah

Brothers,

Today we reflect on one of the greatest hadiths that summarize our entire religion in the fewest words.

[Hadith,Muslim,"On the authority of Tameem ibn Aus ad-Daree (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet ﷺ said: 'The religion is naseehah (sincerity, advice).' We said, 'To whom, O Messenger of Allah?' He ﷺ said, 'To Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, to the leaders of the Muslims, and to their common folk.'"]

This hadith is short in wording but vast in meaning. Imam an-Nawawi included it in his Arba'een because it is from the jawāmi' al-kalim—those sayings of the Prophet ﷺ that are few in words, yet comprehensive in meaning.

Let us break down each part and reflect.

1. Naseehah to Allah

What does it mean to be sincere toward Allah?

• To worship Him alone, without partners
• To submit with love and obedience to His commands
• To believe in His Names and Attributes without distortion or denial
• To trust His Wisdom in all things, even if we don't understand
• To strive for Ihsaan—as if we see Him

[Quran,6:162,"Say, 'Surely my prayer, my worship, my life, and my death are all for Allah—Lord of all worlds.'"]

Sincerity to Allah is the meaning of La ilaha illa Allah—there is nothing in your heart more beloved, feared, or obeyed than Allah.

2. Naseehah to His Book

This means:

• Believing the Qur'an is the true, unchanged Word of God
• Loving it, reciting it, and acting upon it
• Reflecting on its meanings, not just its words
• Judging by it in all matters, above every other law
• Defending it when attacked or misrepresented

[Quran,25:30,"The Messenger has cried, 'O my Lord! My people have indeed received this Quran with neglect.'"]

Many today abandon the Qur'an—either by not reading it, or by reading it without following it. Naseehah to the Qur'an is to live by it.

3. Naseehah to the Messenger ﷺ

This is:

• Believing in him as the final Prophet, whose message is for all people and all times
• Loving him more than we love our parents or ourselves
• Following his Sunnah and leaving off all innovations
• Defending his honor, character, and teachings
• Spreading his message with care and knowledge

[Quran,3:31,"Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ 'If you ˹sincerely˺ love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'"]

Imam Malik said: "The Sunnah is like the Ark of Nuh. Whoever boards it is saved. Whoever refuses, is drowned."

---

Part Two: Naseehah to Leaders and the Common Folk

Brothers,

4. Naseehah to the Leaders of the Muslims

This includes both political leaders and scholars:

• Making du'a for them—not cursing them
• Advising them when wrong—not exposing them
• Supporting them in truth—not blindly following
• Recognizing their duty—while holding them accountable

[Quote,Imam Ahmad,,"If I had one du'a to be accepted, I would use it for the ruler—because if he is righteous, the people will follow."]

Today, many Muslims fall into extremes: either blind obedience or rebellion. But the Sunnah is a middle path—naseehah with wisdom, not flattery nor chaos.

5. Naseehah to the Common Muslims

This is the part we all can do:

• Wanting good for your brother as you want for yourself
• Advising others sincerely when they slip
• Helping each other, covering each other's faults
• Being gentle, not harsh or judgmental

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."]

Too often, we use religion to attack others. But the Prophet ﷺ said:

[Quran,16:125,"Invite ˹all˺ to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and kind advice, and only debate with them in the best manner. Surely your Lord ˹alone˺ knows best who has strayed from His Way and who is ˹rightly˺ guided."]

[Hadith,Bukhari,"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him say good or remain silent."]

[Hadith,Tirmidhi,"I never saw anyone smile more than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."]

[Hadith,Bukhari,"Jarir ibn Abdullah said: 'Every time he saw me, he smiled at me.'"]

[Quran,3:159,"It is out of Allah's mercy that you ˹O Prophet˺ have been lenient with them. Had you been cruel or hard-hearted, they would have certainly abandoned you. So pardon them, ask Allah's forgiveness for them, and consult with them in ˹conducting˺ matters. Once you make a decision, put your trust in Allah. Surely Allah loves those who trust in Him."]

So what is our character like with our brothers? Are we soft? Or are we driving them away? Naseehah is da'wah.

We can't change our past—but we can fix our hearts now. Let us act with sincerity moving forward.

Personal Reflection

My brothers, I want to share something personal.

When I first became Muslim, I didn't know much. I still ate pork. I told a brother online and he gave me kind advice. Later I went through pain in the military, rejection from my family, and confusion.

But then I was blessed to live with good brothers. That's where I grew. I saw sincere naseehah with a smile, not anger. They uplifted me. That is what changed my life.

[Hadith,Bukhari,"Indeed, the religion is easy, and no one makes it difficult except that it overcomes him..."]

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"Make things easy and do not make them difficult. Give glad tidings and do not repel."]

[Hadith,Ibn Majah,"Beware of extremism, for those before you were destroyed by it."]

Call to Action

Brothers:

• Implement naseehah in your life
• Be a source of sincere advice and love
• Make dawah part of your everyday
• When a guard, or anyone, asks about Islam—answer with wisdom and character
• And when someone becomes Muslim, help him grow. Make that your mission inside these walls

This is how we build the Ummah.

O Allah, make our deeds purely for You, and do not let anyone else have a share in them.

O Allah, place sincerity in our hearts, truth on our tongues, and wisdom in our advice.

O Allah, grant us love for our brothers what we love for ourselves, and protect our hearts from envy and arrogance.

O Allah, forgive us, our parents, and all believing men and women—the living and the deceased.

Make us from those who hear the reminder and follow the best of it.

---

We ask Allah to make us firm upon His straight path, to guide us and not let us go astray, to have mercy on us and forgive us.

Whatever good was said in this khutbah is from Allah alone, and whatever mistakes or errors are from myself and from Shaytan. I ask Allah to forgive me and you for any shortcomings.

I say these words of mine, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and you all. Seek His forgiveness—indeed, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

[Arabic,أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ. ]