Al-Mu'jam al-Saghir

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says: When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) arrived in Madinah, I was eight years old at that time. My mother took me to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! The men and women of the Ansar have presented gifts to you, but I do not have any such gift to present to you, except that I have this son of mine; please accept him, and whatever you command, he will serve you. Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Then I served the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for ten years. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never hit me, nor ever abused me, nor ever frowned at me. The best advice the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave me was this: He said, “Son! Keep my secret, you will become a believer.” So I never told anyone the Prophet’s secret, not even my mother, and when the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would ask me about his secret, I would not tell them either, and I never told anyone. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to me: “Son! Complete your ablution (wudu), your life will be lengthened, and your guardian angels will love you.” Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Son! If you are able to sleep in a state of ablution, then do so, because whoever dies in a state of ablution attains the rank of martyrdom.” Then he said: “If you are able to always perform prayer, then do so, because the angels will always pray for mercy upon you as long as you are praying.” Then he said: “Son! Avoid distraction in prayer, for distraction in prayer is destruction. If necessary, do so in voluntary prayers, but do not do so in obligatory prayers.” Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When you bow (ruku‘), place your palms on your knees, spread your fingers, and keep your hands apart from your sides. When you raise your head from ruku‘, every joint should return to its place, because whoever does not straighten his back in ruku‘ and sujud, Allah Almighty will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection.” Then he said: “Son! When you prostrate, do not peck like a rooster, nor sit like a dog, nor spread your forearms like a beast, and place the tops of your feet on the ground, and rest your buttocks on your heels, because performing prayer in this way will make your reckoning easier for you on the Day of Resurrection.” Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Son! Perform the ritual bath (ghusl) of major impurity well; when you come out of the bathhouse, no minor or major sin will remain upon you.” I said: May my parents be sacrificed for you, how should I perform ghusl thoroughly and well? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Wet the roots of your hair and cleanse your body.” Then he said: “Son! If you can designate a portion of your voluntary prayers for your home, then do so, because in this way there will be much goodness and blessing in your house.” Then he said: “Son! When you enter your house, greet its people with salam; this will be a blessing for you and your household.” Then he said: “Son! When you leave your house, greet with salam every person of the Qiblah (Muslims) whom your eyes fall upon; in this way your good deeds will increase.” Then he said: “Son! If you can make your mornings and evenings such that there is no malice or deceit in your heart towards anyone, then do so.” Then he said: “Son! When you leave your house, consider everyone of the Qiblah whom you see as better and superior to yourself.” Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Son! Guard my advice, and let nothing be dearer to you than death.” Then he said: “Son! This is my Sunnah, and whoever revives my Sunnah, it is as if he has loved me, and whoever has loved me will be with me on the Day of Resurrection.”