“HADITH JIBRIL:” The Account of Gabriel

From Umar , who said: While we were sitting in the presence of God’s Messenger , there came upon us a man with intensely white clothing and intensely black hair, with no sign of travel visible upon him, and none of us recognized him. He came to sit in front of the Prophet with his knees resting on the Prophet’s knees and his palms placed on the Prophet’s thighs, and said, “Muhammad, inform me about Islam.” God’s Messenger answered, “Islam is to comply and achieve wholeness by bearing witness that there is no deity but God and that Muhammad is God’s Messenger, giving standing to the ritual prayer, bringing purity into your wealth through charity, fasting Ramadan, and setting out for pilgrimage to the House in Makka, if you have the means to do so.” The man said, “You have spoken the truth”—and we were astonished at him, both asking and confirming the answer. The man then asked, “Inform me about Iman.” God’s Messenger said, “It is to place sound faith and trust in God, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to place sound faith and trust in divine decree, both what of it that may seem good, and what may seem bad.” The man responded, “You have spoken the truth.” Then the man asked, “Inform me about Ihsan.” God’s Messenger responded, “It is to excel and beautify by serving God as if you are seeing him—if you do not see Him, He certainly sees you.” The man asked, “Inform me about the Final Hour.” God’s Messenger responded, “The one asked about it is no more knowledgeable than the one asking.” The man asked, “Then inform me about its signs.” God’s Messenger replied, “They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, and that you see the barefoot, naked, destitute herders of sheep competing in the tallness of their buildings.” Then the man left, and I stayed quite a while. Later, God’s Messenger said to me, “Umar, do you know who that questioner was?” “God and His Messenger know best,” I responded. “It was certainly Gabriel—he came to you to impress upon you your way of living.” This has been related in the collection of Imam Muslim

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