Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Satan comes to you and says: Who created you? He says: Allah Almighty did. Then he will say again: So who created Allah Almighty? If such a doubt arises, then recite this supplication: «آمنت بالله ورسوله» 'I believe in Allah and His Messengers.' This action will remove that doubt."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "What is this? What is this? People will keep asking such questions until they will even ask: Allah is the Creator of everything, so who created Allah? At that time, they will go astray."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Satan comes to one of you and says: Who created this thing? Who created this thing? Who created this thing? — until he says: Who created your Lord? When he reaches this point, he should seek refuge with Allah and stop (such thoughts)."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: "A time is near when people will begin to ask each other questions, (they will keep asking), until someone says: Allah created the creation, but who created Allah? When people reach this point, say: «الله أحد، الله الصمد، لم يلد، ولم يولد، ولم يكن له كفوا أحد» 'Allah is One, Allah is Self-Sufficient, He neither begets nor is He begotten, and there is none comparable to Him.' Then spit three times to your left and seek refuge with Allah (the Exalted) from Satan."

Salim bin Amir says that I heard Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) say that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Go out and announce among the people that whoever testifies that Allah alone is worthy of worship, Paradise will become obligatory for him." He says: I went out to make the announcement, and I encountered Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). He said: Abu Bakr, where and how? I said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered me to go and announce among the people that whoever testifies that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, Paradise will become obligatory for him. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: (Without making this announcement) return to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him); I fear that people will rely on this (glad tidings) and abandon action. I returned, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Why have you come back?" I told him what Sayyiduna Umar had said. He said: "Umar has spoken the truth."

Abu Bakr bin Abu Musa narrates from his father, who says: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with some members of my tribe. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Rejoice and give glad tidings to those who come after you that whoever bears witness with a sincere heart that Allah alone is the true deity, he will enter Paradise." We left the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to give people the glad tidings, and we met Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). (When he learned of the situation,) he sent us back to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Who sent you back?" We said: Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Umar! Why did you send them back?" Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: (If people are given such glad tidings, they will rely on it and abandon further deeds.) The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent upon hearing this.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever says «لا إله إلا الله» with sincerity of heart will enter Paradise."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever testifies that Allah alone is the true deity, he will enter Paradise."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: We were sitting around the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) were also with us. (What happened was that) the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood up from among us (and went somewhere), and he was delayed in returning. We became afraid that (God forbid) perhaps he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had been taken away from us and passed away. We became anxious and stood up, and I was the first to become anxious. I set out to search for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), until I reached the garden of the Ansar of Banu Najjar. I circled around looking for a door, but I did not find any door. A small stream, coming from the well of Kharijah, was entering the garden, so I squeezed myself through it and (finally) reached the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked: “Is it Abu Hurairah?” I said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah! He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked: “What happened to you (why have you come here)?” I said: You were sitting with us, then suddenly you stood up and were delayed in returning, so we feared that you had been taken away from us and passed away, so we became anxious, and I was the first to become anxious. (While searching) I reached this garden and squeezed myself in like a fox (through such and such a hole). The rest of the people are coming behind me. He gave me his two sandals and said: “Abu Hurairah! Take these my sandals and go, and whoever you meet beyond this garden, who testifies with certainty of heart that there is no god but Allah, give him the glad tidings of Paradise.” (So it happened that) the first person I met was Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). He asked: Abu Hurairah! What are these sandals? I said: These are the sandals of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave them to me and sent me, that whoever I meet, who testifies with certainty of heart that there is no god but Allah, I should give him the glad tidings of Paradise. (Upon hearing this) Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) struck my chest, and I fell on my back. He said: Abu Hurairah! Come back. I started walking back to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and I was close to tears out of grief, and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was following behind me. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Abu Hurairah! What happened?” I said: I met Sayyiduna Umar, conveyed your message to him, he struck my chest, I fell on my back, and he said: Come back. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked: “Umar! What made you do that?” He said: O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be sacrificed for you, did you really give Abu Hurairah your sandals and send him, that whoever he meets, who testifies with certainty of heart that there is no god but Allah, he should give him the glad tidings of Paradise? He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Yes (I sent him).” Sayyiduna Umar said: Do not do this, I fear that people (upon hearing such glad tidings) will rely on it (and abandon deeds), let the people act. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Leave them (i.e., do not narrate this hadith).”