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.

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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. It is Hadith 7 from Imam an-Nawawi's collection of Forty Hadiths, narrated by Tameem ibn Aus ad-Daree, may Allah be pleased with him.

[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.' 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 is the full narration, recorded by Imam Muslim in his Sahih. Look at how short it is, yet how vast in meaning. When the Prophet ﷺ said "the religion is naseehah," he summarized the entirety of Islam in one word. The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, understood the weight of this statement and immediately asked for clarification: "To whom?" And he ﷺ explained five categories.

The word naseehah in Arabic carries multiple meanings. It can mean sincerity, purity of intention, genuine advice, or loyal counsel. All these meanings are intended. Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said in his commentary on the Forty Hadiths that naseehah is derived from the word meaning "to purify" or "to refine"—like purifying honey from wax. So naseehah is to purify your relationship with Allah and with people, removing all impurities of hypocrisy, deception, and ill-will.

Let us now examine each of the five categories that the Prophet ﷺ mentioned, beginning with the most important.

1. Naseehah to Allah

What does it mean to have sincerity toward Allah? How can we give advice to the One who is All-Knowing, All-Wise, and in need of nothing?

The scholars explained that naseehah to Allah means the following:

First, to worship Him alone without associating partners with Him. This is tawheed, the foundation of our faith. It means that everything we do—our prayer, our fasting, our charity, our love, our hope, our fear—is directed to Allah alone.

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

Second, to believe in His Names and Attributes as they have been revealed, without distortion, denial, or questioning how. We affirm what Allah has affirmed about Himself and what His Messenger ﷺ affirmed, and we do not say "how" or deny their reality.

Third, to love Allah above all else, and to love what He loves and hate what He hates. This is the essence of faith. The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Abu Dawud,"Whoever loves for Allah, hates for Allah, gives for Allah, and withholds for Allah has perfected his faith."]

Fourth, to submit to His commands with contentment and trust, even when we do not fully understand the wisdom behind them. We hear and we obey. We trust that His decree is always best, even when it appears difficult.

[Quran,33:36,"It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should have any choice in their affair."]

Fifth, to worship Him with ihsaan—as if we see Him, knowing that even though we do not see Him, He sees us. This is the highest level of worship, where the heart is fully present, aware of Allah's gaze upon it.

Sincerity to Allah, brothers, is the meaning of La ilaha illa Allah. It means there is nothing in your heart more beloved, more feared, more hoped in, or more obeyed than Allah. This is the beginning and the foundation of all naseehah.

2. Naseehah to His Book

What does it mean to have naseehah to the Qur'an?

First, to believe with certainty that it is the true, unchanged, eternal Word of Allah, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as guidance for all of humanity until the Day of Judgment.

Second, to love the Qur'an and to recite it regularly with proper reverence and reflection. Not just to move our tongues, but to engage our hearts and minds with its meanings.

Third, to learn its meanings, study its tafsir, and understand what Allah is commanding us to do and forbidding us from. How can we follow the Qur'an if we do not know what it says?

Fourth, to act upon it—to make it the judge in all our affairs. When the Qur'an commands, we obey. When it prohibits, we abstain. When it tells us a story, we take the lesson.

[Quran,2:2-3,"This is the Book! There is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful ˹of Allah˺, who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and donate from what We have provided for them."]

Fifth, to teach it to others and to call people to it. The Qur'an is not meant to be hidden or kept to ourselves. It is the message of Allah to all people.

Sixth, to defend it when it is attacked, misrepresented, or mocked. This is part of our loyalty to Allah's Book.

Allah warns us about those who abandon the Qur'an:

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

Brothers, how many of us have truly fulfilled naseehah to the Qur'an? How many of us open it daily, reflect on its verses, memorize its words, and live by its teachings? The Qur'an is our guide in this life and our intercessor in the next. Let us not be among those who neglect it.

3. Naseehah to the Messenger ﷺ

The naseehah we owe to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ includes:

First, to believe in him as the final Prophet and Messenger, sent to all of humanity and jinn until the Day of Judgment. There is no prophet after him, and his message abrogates all previous revelations.

Second, to love him more than we love our own parents, our children, and even ourselves. The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his father, his child, and all of mankind."]

Third, to follow his Sunnah in all that we do—in our worship, our manners, our dealings, our dress, our speech. He ﷺ is our model, and Allah has commanded us to follow him:

[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.'"]

Fourth, to defend his honor, his character, and his teachings against those who slander him or misrepresent Islam. This is a duty upon every Muslim.

Fifth, to send blessings upon him regularly, as Allah has commanded:

[Quran,33:56,"Indeed, Allah showers His blessings upon the Prophet, and His angels pray for him. O believers! Invoke Allah's blessings upon him, and salute him with worthy greetings of peace."]

Sixth, to study his biography and his sayings so that we know how he lived, how he spoke, how he dealt with people, and how he worshipped Allah. The more we know about him, the more we will love him and follow him.

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

[Quote,Imam Malik,,"The Sunnah is like the Ark of Nuh. Whoever boards it is saved. Whoever refuses is drowned."]

Brothers, our salvation is tied to following the Prophet ﷺ. There is no Islam without the Sunnah, and there is no success in this life or the next except by walking in his footsteps.

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Part Two: Naseehah to Leaders and the Common Folk

Brothers,

We now turn to the last two categories of naseehah: to the leaders of the Muslims and to the common people. These are the areas where we interact with our communities and fulfill our obligations to one another.

4. Naseehah to the Leaders of the Muslims

This includes both the political leaders and the religious scholars who guide the community. What does naseehah to them entail?

First, to make sincere du'a for them—that Allah guides them, gives them wisdom, and protects them from error. This is one of the most important duties we have toward our leaders.

[Quote,Imam Ahmad,,"If I had one du'a that I knew would be accepted, I would use it for the ruler—because when the ruler is righteous, the people are righteous."]

Second, to advise them sincerely when they are wrong, but to do so privately and with wisdom—not publicly in a way that causes fitnah and division. The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Ahmad & Ibn Majah,"Whoever wishes to advise the ruler, let him not do so publicly. Rather, let him take him by the hand and speak to him privately. If he accepts, that is good. If not, he has fulfilled his duty."]

Third, to obey them in matters of good, as long as they do not command us to disobey Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"Hearing and obeying are required upon a Muslim in what he likes and dislikes, as long as he is not commanded to sin. If he is commanded to sin, there is no hearing and no obeying."]

Fourth, to be patient with them even when they are unjust, and not to rebel against them or incite others to rebellion. This is the way of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah. The Prophet ﷺ warned against causing division and chaos in the Muslim community.

Fifth, to support them in truth and justice, and to cooperate with them in matters that benefit the Muslims.

Brothers, we live in a time when many Muslims have gone to extremes. Some blindly obey their leaders in everything, even when they are clearly wrong. Others curse them, rebel against them, and spread discord. Both extremes are wrong. The middle path is to have sincere naseehah—to respect authority, to advise with wisdom, to obey in good, and to be patient with their shortcomings.

5. Naseehah to the Common Muslims

This is the part of the hadith that applies most directly to our daily interactions with one another. What does naseehah to the common Muslims mean?

First, to want good for your brother just as you want good for yourself. This is the essence of brotherhood in Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said:

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

Second, to advise others sincerely when you see them falling into error—whether in belief, in worship, or in behavior. But this advice must be given with wisdom, gentleness, and genuine concern for their well-being—not with harshness, arrogance, or the desire to humiliate them.

Third, to cover the faults of your brothers and not to expose them publicly. The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Muslim,"Whoever covers the fault of a Muslim, Allah will cover his faults on the Day of Judgment."]

Fourth, to help one another in righteousness and piety, and to cooperate in doing good. Allah says:

[Quran,5:2,"And cooperate with one another in goodness and righteousness, and do not cooperate in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Surely Allah is severe in punishment."]

Fifth, to be gentle, kind, and patient with people. The Prophet ﷺ was the most gentle of people, and he commanded us to be the same:

[Hadith,Muslim,"Allah is gentle and loves gentleness, and He gives for gentleness what He does not give for harshness."]

Allah addresses the Prophet ﷺ directly about this:

[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."]

The Balance in Giving Naseehah

Brothers, one of the most important lessons from this hadith is learning how to give naseehah properly. Too many people use the excuse of "naseehah" to be harsh, judgmental, and cruel. They think they are doing a service to Islam, but in reality they are driving people away from it.

The Prophet ﷺ taught us a different way. He was always gentle, always smiling, always concerned for the well-being of others. His Companions testified to this:

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

[Hadith,Bukhari,"Jarir ibn Abdullah said: 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never once turned me away or refused to see me from the time I accepted Islam. And every time he saw me, he smiled at me.'"]

The Prophet ﷺ also taught us to make things easy for people:

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

[Hadith,Bukhari,"Indeed, the religion is easy, and no one makes the religion difficult except that it overcomes him. So be moderate, seek the good news, and seek help by worshipping in the morning, the evening, and part of the night."]

At the same time, we cannot remain silent when we see our brothers falling into clear error or sin. Silence in the face of evil is itself a form of evil. The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Muslim,"Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand. If he is unable, then with his tongue. If he is unable, then with his heart—and that is the weakest of faith."]

So we must find the balance. We advise with wisdom, kindness, and sincerity. We do not remain silent out of cowardice, nor do we speak out harshly out of arrogance. We follow the command of Allah:

[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."]

Naseehah in the Prison Environment

Brothers, let me speak specifically about our context here at LECI. How do we practice naseehah in this environment?

First, we advise one another to remain steadfast in the deen. We remind each other of prayer times, we encourage each other to fast, we study together, we help one another memorize Qur'an. This is naseehah.

Second, when we see a brother slipping—missing prayers, getting involved in haram, falling into despair—we reach out to him with kindness and concern. We do not gossip about him or look down on him. We help him.

Third, when someone new comes to Islam, we take him under our wing. We teach him how to pray, we explain the basics of the faith, we answer his questions patiently. We do not overwhelm him with too much information or burden him with minor details. We make it easy for him, just as it was made easy for us.

Fourth, when the non-Muslims around us—whether fellow inmates or correctional staff—ask us about Islam, we respond with wisdom and good character. Our behavior is our da'wah. If we are honest, patient, kind, and respectful, people will be drawn to Islam. If we are harsh, angry, and judgmental, we push them away.

Fifth, we do not cause division or conflict among the Muslims here. We do not let petty disagreements turn into major disputes. We advise each other to have sabr, to overlook minor faults, and to focus on what unites us rather than what divides us.

Brothers, this is how we fulfill the command of naseehah in this place. We build each other up. We do not tear each other down.

Personal Reflection

My brothers, I want to share something personal with you.

When I first became Muslim over seventeen years ago, I was completely lost. I did not know how to pray. I did not know what was halal and haram. I was still eating pork and drinking alcohol because I simply did not know any better. I reached out to a brother online, and he gave me kind, patient advice. He did not yell at me or condemn me. He just guided me gently toward the truth.

Later, when I was in the military and going through the most difficult time of my life—rejected by my family, confused about my future, struggling with my faith—I was blessed to live with good brothers who showed me what real naseehah looks like. They corrected me when I was wrong, but they did it with love and wisdom. They taught me the deen with patience. They encouraged me when I was down. They smiled at me and made me feel like I belonged.

That is what changed my life, brothers. Not harsh lectures. Not judgmental attitudes. But sincere, loving naseehah from brothers who genuinely cared about me.

And that is what we must be for each other.

Call to Action

Brothers, let us leave here today with a firm commitment to practice naseehah in all five of its categories:

1. Purify your worship and intention for Allah alone
2. Return to the Qur'an—read it, study it, live by it
3. Follow the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ in all that you do
4. Make du'a for your leaders and advise them with wisdom
5. Care for your brothers, advise them gently, and help them grow

This is the religion. This is what Islam is all about. It is not just rituals and rules. It is sincere devotion to Allah and sincere concern for His creation.

When a guard asks you about Islam, answer him with wisdom and good character. When a fellow inmate is going through a hard time, reach out to him with kindness. When a new Muslim joins our ranks, take him under your wing and teach him with patience.

This is how we build the Ummah. This is how we fulfill the command of naseehah.

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

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, arrogance, and hatred.

O Allah, make us from those who hear the Word and follow the best of it. Make us from those who give sincere advice and accept it when it is given to us.

O Allah, guide our leaders and grant them wisdom. Protect the Muslim Ummah from division and discord.

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

Make us firm upon the Sunnah of Your Prophet ﷺ, and do not let us deviate from it after You have guided us.

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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. ]