Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 1470

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, I was eight years old. My mother took me by the hand and brought me to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). She said: "O Messenger of Allah! Every man and every woman of the Ansar has presented you with a gift, and I am not able to present you with any gift except this son of mine. Keep him (as a servant); he will serve you for as long as you see fit." Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: So I served the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) for ten years. He never once struck me, never once reviled me, never scolded me, and never frowned at me. The first advice he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me was that he said: "O my son! Keep my secret, and you will be a believer." My mother and the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to ask me about the secret of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but I would not tell them about it, and I will never tell anyone the secret of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O my son! Hold fast to performing ablution thoroughly; your two guardian angels will love you and your life will be lengthened. O Anas! Be thorough in the ritual bath for janabah, for when you come out of your bathing place there will be no sin and no fault upon you." Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I said: "O Messenger of Allah! How is this thoroughness to be done?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Wet the roots of the hair and cleanse the skin. O my son! If you are able, always remain in a state of ablution, for whoever is overtaken by death while he is in a state of ablution will be granted the rank of martyrdom. O my son! If you are able, keep on offering voluntary prayer, for as long as you continue to pray, the angels will continue to pray for mercy for you. O Anas! When you bow (ruku'), place your palms firmly on your knees, keep your fingers spread apart, and keep your elbows away from your sides. O my son! When you raise your head from bowing, let every limb of yours settle in its proper place, for on the Day of Resurrection Allah Almighty will not look (with mercy) at the one who does not straighten his back between his bowing and his prostration. O my son! When you prostrate, place your forehead and your palms firmly on the ground; do not peck like the pecking of a rooster, and do not squat (iq'a') like a dog — (the narrator is unsure, or perhaps the words are:) like a fox — and do not look here and there during prayer, for looking here and there during prayer is a cause of ruin; if there is no escape from it, then do so in voluntary prayer, not in obligatory prayer. O my son! When you leave your house, whoever of the people of the Qiblah your eye falls upon, greet him with salam; when you return, you will have been forgiven. O my son! When you enter your house, greet yourself and your household with salam. O my son! If you are able, spend your mornings and evenings in such a state that there is no deceit or rancour in your heart towards anyone, for in this way giving account will be easier for you. O my son! If you follow my guidance, nothing will be dearer to you than death."
Abu Ya'la, and al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Saghir, recorded it, and it contains these additional words: "O my son! When you leave your house, whoever of the people of the Qiblah your gaze falls upon, assume that he has superiority over you. O my son! This is part of my Sunnah; whoever revives my Sunnah loves me, and whoever loves me will be with me in Paradise." Its chain contains a narrator, Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin Abi Yazid, who is da'if (weak).