40 Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi β The Most Important Collection Explained
An introduction to the famous 40 Hadith collection of Imam Al-Nawawi, with explanations of the most important hadiths every Muslim should know.
The 40 Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi (Al-Arba'een Al-Nawawiyyah) is one of the most celebrated compilations in Islamic literature. Compiled by the 13th-century scholar Yahya ibn Sharaf Al-Nawawi (1233β1277 CE), this collection gathers the most foundational hadiths of Islam β covering belief, worship, ethics, and jurisprudence.
The Prophet Muhammad ο·Ί is reported to have said: "Whoever preserves for my Ummah forty hadiths related to their religion, Allah will raise him on the Day of Judgement in the company of scholars and jurists." (reported in various collections)
Why These 40 Hadiths?
Imam Al-Nawawi did not simply select 40 random hadiths. He chose hadiths that:
- Are foundational to Islamic belief and practice
- Are comprehensive β each one covers a major principle of the religion
- Are authentic β from Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, or other verified collections
- Can serve as a complete curriculum for a new Muslim
Key Hadiths from the Collection
Hadith 1 β Actions Are By Intention
"Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get what he intended."
β Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
This is arguably the most important hadith in Islam. Everything in Islam β from prayer to business dealings β must be backed by the correct intention (niyyah). An action done for show (riya) carries no reward; the same action done sincerely for Allah is an act of worship.
Hadith 2 β Islam, Iman, and Ihsan
The second hadith is the famous "Hadith of Jibril" in which the Angel Jibril (Gabriel) appeared in human form and asked the Prophet ο·Ί three questions:
- What is Islam? β The Five Pillars
- What is Iman (Faith)? β Belief in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and Divine Decree (Qadar)
- What is Ihsan (Excellence)? β "That you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, then know that He sees you."
Hadith 3 β The Five Pillars
"Islam is built on five: the Shahada, establishing prayer, paying Zakat, fasting Ramadan, and Hajj to the House for those who are able."
β Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
Hadith 6 β Halal and Haram Are Clear
"The halal is clear and the haram is clear, and between them are doubtful matters that many people do not know about. Whoever avoids doubtful matters has protected his religion and honour. Whoever falls into doubtful matters falls into the haram..."
β Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
This hadith introduces the concept of shubuhaat β grey areas that a conscious Muslim avoids to protect their faith.
Hadith 9 β Avoid What I Forbid
"What I have forbidden you, avoid it. What I have commanded you, do as much of it as you can. The people before you were destroyed by their excessive questioning and their differing with their Prophets."
β Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
Hadith 13 β Love for Your Brother What You Love for Yourself
"None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."
β Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
Hadith 17 β Excellence in Everything
"Allah has prescribed excellence (ihsan) in everything. So if you kill, kill well; if you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and spare suffering to the animal he slaughters."
β Sahih Muslim
This hadith establishes the Islamic principle of ihsan (excellence and perfection) in every act β including in the slaughter of animals for food.
Hadith 29 β Hold on to the Sunnah
"Hold fast to my sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly-guided caliphs after me. Beware of innovations (bid'ah), for every innovation is a going astray."
β Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi (Sahih)
Hadith 34 β Forbidding Wrong
"Whoever of you sees a wrong, let him change it with his hand. If he cannot, then with his tongue. If he cannot, then in his heart β and that is the weakest of faith."
β Sahih Muslim
How to Study the 40 Hadith
- Read the original Arabic alongside a reliable English translation
- Study the explanations (sharh) β scholars like Ibn Rajab and Ibn Daqeeq al-'Eid have written extensive commentaries
- Memorise them β this is one of the most rewarding memorisation projects for any Muslim
- Apply them β each hadith has practical applications to daily life
Recommended Resources
- Explanation of the Forty Hadiths by Imam Al-Nawawi (translated editions available)
- Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Al-Nawawi by Jamal al-Din Zarabozo (English)
- The Complete Forty Hadith by Imam Al-Nawawi (IIPH edition)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who was Imam Al-Nawawi?
Yahya ibn Sharaf Al-Nawawi (1233β1277 CE) was a Syrian Shafi'i scholar who lived a remarkably short but productive life. He wrote some of the most important works in Islamic jurisprudence and hadith, including Riyadh Al-Salihin and his famous collection of 40 hadiths.
Q: Are there exactly 40 hadiths?
The collection traditionally contains 42 hadiths, as Al-Nawawi himself intended to compile only 40 but added two extra. His student Ibn Rajab later added a further six, making the widely circulated version contain 42 hadiths.