Explanation of the Forty Hadiths of Nawawi

Explanation by His Excellency Sheikh: Saleh bin Abdulaziz Al Sheikh

The Forty Hadiths of al-Nawawi is a collection of forty authentic Prophetic traditions (hadiths) compiled by Imam al-Nawawi. He meticulously ensured their authenticity, explaining his reason for compiling them: “Some scholars have compiled forty hadiths on the fundamentals of religion, others on its branches, some on jihad, some on asceticism, and others on sermons. All these are worthy aims, may God be pleased with those who pursued them. I have seen fit to compile forty hadiths that are more important than all of these, encompassing all of these topics. Each hadith is a fundamental principle of the religion, and scholars have described it as the foundation of Islam, or half of Islam, or a third of it, or something similar.” He then ensured the authenticity of these forty hadiths, omitting their chains of transmission (isnad) to facilitate memorization. He followed this with a chapter explaining the subtle nuances of their wording. The author completed its compilation on the night of Thursday, the 29th of Jumada al-Awwal, 668 AH. In the introduction to his book, Al-Nawawi said regarding this hadith and his reliance on it in compiling the Forty Hadiths of Al-Nawawi: “Scholars have agreed on the permissibility of acting upon weak hadiths concerning virtuous deeds. However, my reliance is not on this hadith, but rather on the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) statement in authentic hadiths: ‘Let those of you who are present convey it to those who are absent,’ and his statement: ‘May God bless the one who hears my words, understands them, and conveys them exactly as he heard them.’” Professor Maher Al-Hindi commented on Al-Nawawi’s statement, noting that relying on weak hadiths concerning virtuous deeds is the opinion of the majority, not a matter of consensus.