Chapters on Parables

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Indeed Allah has made a parable of the straight path: At the sides of the path there are walls with open doors, each door having a curtain. There is a caller at the head of the path calling, and a caller above it calling. And Allah invites to the abode of…

"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ضَرَبَ مَثَلاً صِرَاطًا مُسْتَقِيمًا عَلَى كَنَفَىِ الصِّرَاطِ سُورَانِ لَهُمَا أَبْوَابٌ مُفَتَّحَةٌ عَلَى الأَبْوَابِ سُتُورٌ وَدَاعٍ يَدْعُو عَلَى رَأْسِ الصِّرَاطِ وَدَاعٍ يَدْعُو فَوْقَهُ‏:‏…

Narrated by An-Nawwās ibn Sam‘ān + 1 other version

that Jabir bin 'Abdullah Al-Ansari said: "One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out to us and said: "While I was sleeping I had a vision as if Jibra'il was at my feet. One of them said to his companion: 'Make a parable for him' so he said: 'Listen so that your ears may hear. Hearken so that your…

"‏ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ فِي الْمَنَامِ كَأَنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِي وَمِيكَائِيلَ عِنْدَ رِجْلَىَّ يَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ اضْرِبْ لَهُ مَثَلاً ‏.‏ فَقَالَ اسْمَعْ سَمِعَتْ أُذُنُكَ وَاعْقِلْ عَقَلَ قَلْبُكَ…

Narrated by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh

from Ibn Mas'ud who said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performed 'Isha, then he turned and took the hand of 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud until he went with him to the wide valley of Makkah. He sat him down, then he drew a line around him. Then he said: 'Do not go beyond your line, for indeed there shall…

لاَ تَبْرَحَنَّ خَطَّكَ فَإِنَّهُ سَيَنْتَهِي إِلَيْكَ رِجَالٌ فَلاَ تُكَلِّمْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يُكَلِّمُونَكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَيْثُ أَرَادَ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسٌ فِي…

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd + 1 other version

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The parable of myself and the Prophets [before myself] is that of a man who constructed a house. He completed it and made it well, except for the space of one brick. So the people enter it and marvel at it saying: 'If not for the space of this brick.'"

"‏ إِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي كَرَجُلٍ بَنَى دَارًا فَأَكْمَلَهَا وَأَحْسَنَهَا إِلاَّ مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَدْخُلُونَهَا وَيَتَعَجَّبُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَقُولُونَ لَوْلاَ مَوْضِعُ…

Narrated by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh + 4 other versions

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Indeed Allah commanded Yahya bin Zakariyya with five commandments to abide by, and to command the Children of Isra'il to abide by them. But he was slow in doing so. So 'Eisa said: 'Indeed Allah commanded you with five commandments to abide by and to command…

"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَ يَحْيَى بْنَ زَكَرِيَّا بِخَمْسِ كَلِمَاتٍ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهَا وَيَأْمُرَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنْ يَعْمَلُوا بِهَا وَإِنَّهُ كَادَ أَنْ يُبْطِئَ بِهَا فَقَالَ عِيسَى إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَكَ…

Narrated by Abu Mālik al-Ash‘arī + 3 other versions

(Another chain) with similar in meaning.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ‏ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ الطَّيَالِسِيُّ، قَالَ‏ حَدَّثَنَا أَبَانُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ سَلاَّمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلاَّمٍ، عَنِ…

Narrated by Abu Mālik al-Ash‘arī

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) narrated: "The parable of the believer who recites the Qur'an is that of a citron, its fragrance is nice and its taste is nice. The parable of the believer who does not recite the Qur'an is that of a date, it has no smell but its taste is sweet. The parable of the…

"‏ مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَثَلِ الأُتْرُجَّةِ رِيحُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَطَعْمُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَمَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ الَّذِي لاَ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَثَلِ التَّمْرَةِ لاَ رِيحَ لَهَا وَطَعْمُهَا حُلْوٌ…

Narrated by Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari + 14 other versions

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The parable of the believer is like the plant; the wind does not stop causing it to sway, and the believer does not stop suffering trials. The parable of the hypocrite is that of a cedar tree, it does not give in until it is cut down."

"‏ مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ كَمَثَلِ الزَّرْعِ لاَ تَزَالُ الرِّيَاحُ تُفِيئُهُ وَلاَ يَزَالُ الْمُؤْمِنُ يُصِيبُهُ بَلاَءٌ وَمَثَلُ الْمُنَافِقِ كَمَثَلِ الشَّجَرَةِ الأَرْزِ لاَ تَهْتَزُّ حَتَّى تُسْتَحْصَدَ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 5 other versions

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Indeed there is a tree that does not shed its foilage, and it is is similar to the believer. Can any of you tell me what it is?" 'Abdullah said: "The people started thinking about the trees of the desert. And it occurred to me that it may be the date-palm."…

"‏ إِنَّ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ شَجَرَةً لاَ يَسْقُطُ وَرَقُهَا وَهِيَ مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ حَدِّثُونِي مَا هِيَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَوَقَعَ النَّاسُ فِي شَجَرِ الْبَوَادِي وَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَّهَا النَّخْلَةُ ‏.‏…

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar + 5 other versions

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Do you think that if there was a river by the gate of one of you, and he bathed in it five times each day that there would remain any filth on him?" They said: "No filth would stay on him." He said: "That is the parable of the five prayers, Allah wipes out the…

"‏ أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَنَّ نَهْرًا بِبَابِ أَحَدِكُمْ يَغْتَسِلُ مِنْهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ خَمْسَ مَرَّاتٍ هَلْ يَبْقَى مِنْ دَرَنِهِ شَيْءٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا لاَ يَبْقَى مِنْ دَرَنِهِ شَيْءٌ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَذَلِكَ مَثَلُ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 8 other versions

Another chain reports a similar narration.

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرُ بْنُ مُضَرَ الْقُرَشِيُّ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْهَادِ، نَحْوَهُ ‏.‏

+ 8 other versions

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The parable of my Ummah is that of a rain; it is not known if its beginning is better or its end."

"‏ مَثَلُ أُمَّتِي مَثَلُ الْمَطَرِ لاَ يُدْرَى أَوَّلُهُ خَيْرٌ أَمْ آخِرُهُ ‏"

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik + 3 other versions

from his father that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Do you know what the parable of this and this is?" - and he tossed two pebbles. They said: "Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) know better." He said: "This (the farther) one is hope, and this (closer) one is death."

"‏ هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَا هَذِهِ وَمَا هَذِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَرَمَى بِحَصَاتَيْنِ ‏.‏ قَالُوا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ هَذَاكَ الأَمَلُ وَهَذَاكَ الأَجَلُ ‏"

Narrated by Buraydah

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Your period in comparison to the periods of the previous nations, is like the period between Salat Al-'Asr until sunset. And you are in comparison to the Jews and Christians, like a man who employeed some workers and he said: 'Who will work for me until Midday…

"‏ إِنَّمَا أَجَلُكُمْ فِيمَا خَلاَ مِنَ الأُمَمِ كَمَا بَيْنَ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ إِلَى مَغَارِبِ الشَّمْسِ وَإِنَّمَا مَثَلُكُمْ وَمَثَلُ الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى كَرَجُلٍ اسْتَعْمَلَ عُمَّالاً فَقَالَ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ لِي…

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar + 7 other versions

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "People are but like a hundred camels, a man can not find a mount (suitable to ride upon) among them."

"‏ إِنَّمَا النَّاسُ كَإِبِلٍ مِائَةٍ لاَ يَجِدُ الرَّجُلُ فِيهَا رَاحِلَةً ‏"

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar + 2 other versions

with this chain, and it is similar, but he said: "You can find a mount among them." - from Salim, from Ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "People are but like one hundred camels, you can not find a mount among them - or he said - you can not find but one mount among them."

حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْمَخْزُومِيُّ، قَالَ‏ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَهُ وَقَالَ لاَ تَجِدُ فِيهَا رَاحِلَةً أَوْ قَالَ لاَ تَجِدُ فِيهَا…

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The Parable of myself and that of my Ummah is that of a man who kindled a fire, and the flies and moths began flying into it - and I am trying to prevent you from diving into it."

"‏ إِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ أُمَّتِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَجَعَلَتِ الذُّبَابُ وَالْفَرَاشُ يَقَعْنَ فِيهَا وَأَنَا آخُذُ بِحُجَزِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَقَحَّمُونَ فِيهَا ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 2 other versions