روي أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: من سن في الإسلام سنة حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها بعده من غير أن ينقص من أجورهم شئ. ومن سن سنة سيئة فعليه وزرها ووزر من عمل بها من بعده من غير أن ينقص من أوزارهم شئ.
وروي أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: من أحيا سنة من سنتي قد أميتت بعدي فعمل بها الناس كان له مثل أجر من عمل بها لا ينقص من أجورهم شيئا ومن ابتدع بدعة فعمل بها كان عليه أوزار من عمل بها لا ينقص من أوزار من عمل بها شيئا.
It is reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: Whoever sets a good example, while being in submission to God1, for him shall not only be the reward of his own action [on the Day of Judgment] but he shall also get a share of the reward of those who acted upon his example after him, without their being deprived of any part of their reward2; And [on the other hand,] whoever sets a bad example upon him shall not only be its burden [on the Day of Judgment] but also [a share of] the burden of those who acted upon his example after him, without the reduction of any part of their burdens [from them].
It is also reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: Whoever revives any of my ways after it would have become ignored, after me, and people start acting upon it again, the reviver will get the a reward equivalent to those who would act upon his revival, yet it would not reduce any part of their rewards. On the other hand, whoever initiates an invention in this path and people start acting upon it, the inventor will bear the burden of all those who accept and act upon this invention, yet it would not reduce even a bit of the burden of those who act upon it.
General Notes
1- Only those of man’s good deeds deserve to be rewarded in God’s court, which are done for the pleasure of God. The phrase ‘while being in submission to God’, refers to this fact;
2- By the grace of the Almighty, every person is rewarded for each of his good deeds. None of man’s deeds goes unnoticed by the God. Prompting others to do good deeds is a good deed itself and man shall be rewarded not only for his promting others towards a good deed but will also get a share of the reward of all those who did good deeds on his prompting. This points out towards an important principle of reward and punishment in the hereafter. It implies that man, in the hereafter, shall not only be rewarded or punished for his deeds, but will also reap the fruits or will have to bear the burden of the affects of his actions. ‘Setting a good example’, implies prompting and guiding others towards a good deed through one’s action. Thus, the setter of the example will be rewarded, firstly, for his own action and then he shall also get the reward for all those who followed his footpaths, as an affect of his good deeds. The same holds true for ‘setting a bad example’.
Notes on the Text of the Narrative:
The first narrative, with some variations, has been reported in Muslim, narrative no. 1017a, 1017b, 1017c and 1017d; Nassaiy, narrative no. 2554; Ibn Maajah, narrative no. 203, 204, 207; Tirmidhi, narrative no. 2675, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 10563, 10759, 19179, 19180, 19197, 19198, 19206, 19223, 19225, 19229 and 23337; Ibn Hibban, narrative no. 3308; Bayhaqiy, narrative no. 7530 and 7531; Nassaiy’s Sunan al-Kubraa, narrative no. 2335; Ibn Khuzaymah, narrative no. 2477; Daarmiy, narrative no. 512 and 514; Ibn Abi Shaybah, narrative no. 9802 and 9803; Abd al-Razzaq, narrative no. 21024 and 21025; and Humaydiy’s Musnad, narrative no. 805.
The second narrative, with some variations, has been reported in Tirmidhi’s narrative no. 2677 and Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 209 and 210.
In some narratives, as for instance in ِAhmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 19223, the words "من سن في الإسلام سنة حسنة" (i.e., ‘Whoever sets a good example while being in submission to God’) have been reported as "من سن سنة حسنة" (i.e., ‘Whoever sets a good example’); in Tirmidhi, narrative no. 2675, these words have synonymously been reported as "من سن سنة خير"; in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 23337, these words have synonymously been reported as "من سن خيرا"; in Ibn Abi Shaybah, narrative no. 9803, these words have also been synonymously reported as "من سن في الإسلام سنة صالحة"; in Abd al-Razzaq, narrative no. 21025, these words have also been synonymously reported as "من سن سنة صالحة في الإسلام"; in Ibn Maajah, narrative no. 204, these words have been reported as "من استن خيرا" (i.e., ‘Whoever treads a good path’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 10563, these words have been reported as "من سنة هدى" (i.e., ‘whoever sets an example of guidance’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 19229, these words have been reported as "لا يسن عبد سنة صالحة... إلا.." (i.e., ‘a man does not set a good example… but’).
In some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 19223, there is an addition of the words "فعمل بها من بعده" (i.e., ‘which is acted upon after him’), after "من سن في الإسلام سنة حسنة" (i.e., ‘Whoever sets a good example, while being in submission to God’); in Ibn Abi Shaybah, narrative no. 9803, the words "فعمل بها من بعده" (i.e., ‘which is acted upon after him’) have been reported as "فاستن بها بعده" (i.e., ‘then his path is followed after him’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 23337, these words have synonymously been reported as "فاستن به"; in some narratives, as for instance in Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 203 these words have been reported as "فعمل بها" (i.e., ‘then it is acted upon’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 10563, these words have been reported as "فاتبع عليها" (i.e., ‘then it is followed’); in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 19229, these words have been reported as "يعمل بها من بعده" (i.e., ‘it is acted upon after him’).
In some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 19179, the words "فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها" (i.e., ‘for him shall not only be the reward of his own action [on the Day of Judgment] but he shall also get a share of the reward of those who acted upon his example’) have synonymously been reported as "كان له أجرها وأجر من عمل بها"; in some narratives, as for instance in Tirmidhi, narrative no. 2675, these words have synonymously been reported "فله أجره ومثل أجور من اتبعه"; in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 23337, these words have synonymously been reported as "كان له أجره ومن أجور من يتبعه"; in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 19223, these words have been reported as "كان له أجرها ومثل أجر من عمل بها" (i.e., ‘he shall not only get the reward of his action but shall also get an equal reward as those who acted upon it’); in Ibn Hibban, narrative no. 3308, these words have been reported as "كان له أجرها وأجر من يعمل بها" (i.e., ‘he shall not only get the reward of his own action but shall also get [a share of] the reward of whoever acts upon it’); in Ibn Maajah, narrative no. 204, these words have been reported as "كان له أحره كاملا ومن أحور من استن به" (i.e., ‘he shall not only get the reward of his own action in full, but shall also get a share of the reward of those who follow his path’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 19229, these words have been reported as "إلا كان له مثل أجر من عمل بها لا ينقص من أجورهم شيء" (i.e., ‘except that he shall have the reward equivalent to that of those who acted upon it. No part of their reward will reduce’).
In some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 19179, the words "من عمل بها بعده" (i.e., ‘those who acted upon his example after him’) have synonymously been reported as "من عمل بها من بعده";
In some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 19179, the words "من غير أن ينقص" (i.e., ‘without their being deprived of’) have synonymously been reported as "من غير ان ينتقص"; in Tirmidhi, narrative no. 2675, these words have synonymously been reported as "غير منقوص من أحورهم شيئا"; in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 23337, these words have synonymously been reported as "غير منتقص من أجورهم شيئا"; in some narratives, as for instance in Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 203, these words have been reported as "لا ينقص من أجورهم شيئا" (i.e., ‘this would not reduce any part of their reward’).
In some narratives, as for instance in Muslim, narrative no. 1017a, the words "من سن سنة سيئة" (i.e., ‘Whoever sets a bad example’) have been reported as "من سن في الإسلام سنة سيئة" (i.e., ‘whoever sets a bad example while being in submission to God’); in Ibn Maajah, narrative no. 204, these words have been reported as "من استن سنة سيئة" (i.e., ‘Whoever treads a bad path’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 10563, these words have been reported as "من سن سنة صلال" (i.e., ‘whoever sets a bad example’); in Tirmidhi, narrative no. 2675, these words have synonymously been reported as "من سن سنة شر"; in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 23337, these words have synonymously been reported as "من سن شرا"; in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 19229, these words have been reported as "لا يسن عبد سنة سوء... إلا.." (i.e., ‘a person does not set a bad example… but…’).
In some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 19223, there is an addition of the words "عمل بها من بعده" (i.e., ‘which is acted upon after him’), after the words "ومن سن سنة سيئة" (and whoever sets a bad example’); in Ibn Abi Shaybah, narrative no. 9803, the words "عمل بها من بعده" (i.e., ‘which is acted upon after him’) have been reported as "فاستن بها بعده" (i.e., ‘which is followed after him’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 23337, these words have synonymously been reported as "فاستن به"; in some narratives, as for instance in Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 203, these words have been reported as "فعمل بها" (i.e., ‘then it is acted upon’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 10563, these words have been reported as "فاتبع عليها" (i.e., ‘then it is followed’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 19229, these words have been reported as "يعمل بها من بعده" (i.e., ‘it is acted upon after him’).
In some narratives, as for instance in Muslim, narrative no. 1017a, the words "فعليه وزرها" (i.e., ‘upon him shall be its burden’) have synonymously been reported as "كان عليه وزرها".
In some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 19225, the words "فعليه وزرها ووزر من عمل بها" (i.e., ‘upon him shall not only be its burden [on the Day of Judgment] but also [a share of] the burden of those who acted upon his example’) have been reported as "كان عليه وزرها ومثل وزر من عمل بها" (i.e., ‘upon him shall not only be its burden [on the Day of Judgment] but also a burden similar to that of those who acted upon his example’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 23337, these words have synonymously been reported as "كان عليه وزره ومن أوزار من يتبعه"; in Ibn Maajah, narrative no. 204, "فعليه وزره كاملا ومن أوراز الذي استن به" (i.e., ‘upon him shall be his own burden in full and also the burden of those who treaded his path’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 203, these words have been reported as "كان عليه وزرها وزر من عمل بها" (i.e., ‘upon is shall not only be its burden [on the day of Judgment] but also [a share of] the burder of those who acted upon his example’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 19229, these words have been reported as "إلا كان عليه وزرها ووزر من عمل بها" (i.e., ‘but he shall not only bear its burden, but also that of those who acted upon it’); in Tirmidhi, narrative no. 2675, these words have synonymously been reported as "كان عليه وزره ومثل أوزار من اتبعه".
In some narratives, as for instance in Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 203, the words "من غير أن ينقص من أوزارهم شئ" (i.e., ‘without the reduction of any part of their burdens [from them]’) have been reported as "لا ينقص من أوزارهم شيئا" (i.e., ‘this would not reduce any part of their burden from them’); in some narratives, as for instance in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 23337, these words have synonymously been reported as "غير منتقص من أوزارهم شيئا"; in Tirmidhi, narrative no. 2675, these words have synonymously been reported as "غير منقوص من أوزارهم شيئا".
In Muslim, narrative no. 1017a, the background of this saying of the Prophet (pbuh) has also been reported. The referred report is reproduced below:
كنا عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في صدر النهار قال فجاءه قوم حفاة عراة مجتابي النمار أو العباء متقلدي السيوف عامتهم من مضر بل كلهم من مضر فتمعر وجه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لما رأى بهم من الفاقة فدخل ثم خرج فأمر بلالا فأذن وأقام فصلى ثم خطب فقال: يا أيها الناس اتقوا ربكم الذي خلقكم من نفس واحدة، إلى آخر الآية، إن الله كان عليكم رقيبا. والآية التي في الحشر اتقوا الله ولتنظر نفس ما قدمت لغد واتقوا الله. تصدق رجل من ديناره من درهمه من ثوبه من صاع بره من صاع تمره حتى قال ولو بشق تمرة قال فجاء رجل من الأنصار بصرة كادت كفه تعجز عنها بل قد عجزت قال ثم تتابع الناس حتى رأيت كومين من طعام وثياب حتى رأيت وجه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يتهلل كأنه مذهبة فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من سن في الإسلام سنة حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها بعده من غير أن ينقص من أجورهم شيء ومن سن في الإسلام سنة سيئة كان عليه وزرها ووزر من عمل بها من بعده من غير أن ينقص من أوزارهم شيء.
‘We were with the Prophet (pbuh) during the early part of the day when a group of bare footed, half naked people came to him. They had wrapped themselves in wool. They were holding swords. Most of them were from the tribe of Mudar, rather all of them were from the tribe of Mudar. The Prophet’s face showed signs of extreme disturbance when he saw signs of hunger on them. He entered his quarter and [a little while later] he came out again’ and ordered Bilal to announce the gathering of the praryer congregation. Then he stood up and offered prayers. Then addressing the people, he said [reading out from the Qur’an]: O people, fear God who created you [all] from one man’ till the end of the verse ‘Indeed God is guarding over all of you’, And [then he read out] the verse from Surah Al-Hashar: ‘Fear God and each sould should see what [deeds] it is forwarding for its future and fear God.’ Then he said: Every man should contribute whatever he can, whether of his silver or gold coins or his clothes or of his measure of wheat or his measure of dates or [if nothing else] even a small piece of his date. The narrator says that after hearing this, a man from the Ansar, who himself seemed to be in shambles, came [and made his contribution]. After him, people followed his footsteps [each making his respective contribution], till there were two heaps of food and clothes. At this I saw the Prophet’s face brighten up like gold. Then the Prophet (pbuh) said: Whoever sets a good example, while being in submission to God, for him shall not only be the reward of his own action [on the Day of Judgment] but he shall also get a share of the reward of those who acted upon his example after him, without their being deprived of any part of their reward; And [on the other hand,] whoever sets a bad example, while being in submission to God, upon him shall not only be its burden [on the Day of Judgment] but also [a share of] the burden of those who acted upon his example after him, without the reduction of any part of their burdens [from them]
The Second Narrative:
In some narratives, as for instance in Tirmidhi’s narrative no. 2677, the words "كان له مثل أجر من عمل بها" (i.e., ‘the reviver will get the a reward equivalent to those who would act upon his revival’) have been reported as "فإن له من الأجر مثل من عمل بها" (i.e., ‘For him shall indeed be a reward equivalent to those who act upon it’); In Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 210, these words have been reported as "فإن له من الأجر مثل أجر من عمل بها من الناس" (i.e., ‘For him shall indeed be a reward equivalent to the reward of the people who act upon it’);
In some narratives, as for instance in Tirmidhi’s narrative no. 2677, the words "لا ينقص من أجورهم شيئا" (i.e., ‘yet it would not reduce any part of their rewards’) have been reported as "من غير أن ينقص من أجورهم شيئا" (i.e., ‘without its reducing any part of their rewards’); In some narratives, as in Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 210, these words have been reported as "لا ينقص من أجور الناس شيئا" (i.e., ‘it would not reduce any part of those people’s reward’);
In some narratives, as for instance in Tirmidhi’s narrative no. 2677, there is an addition of the words "ضلالة لا ترضى الله ورسوله" (i.e., ‘a straying from the path which is not pleasing for God and His Prophet’) after the words "من ابتدع بدعة" (i.e., ‘whoever initiates an invention’); In Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 210, these added words have been reported as "لا يرضاها الله ورسوله" (i.e., ‘which is not approved by God and His Prophet’);
In some narratives, as for instance in Tirmidhi’s narrative no. 2677, the words "كان عليه أوزار من عمل بها" (i.e., ‘upon him shall be the burden of those who acted upon it’) have been reported as "كان عليه مثل آثام من عمل بها" (i.e., ‘upon him shall be the sins of those who acted upon it’); In Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 210, these words have been reported as "فإن عليه مثل إثم من عمل بها من الناس" (i.e., ‘For indeed upon him shall be a sin equivalent to those people’s who acted upon it’);
In some narratives, as for instance in Tirmidhi’s narrative no. 2677, the words "لا ينقص من أوزار من عمل بها شيئا" (i.e., ‘it would not reduce any part of the burden of those people who acted upon it’) have been reported as "لا ينقص ذلك من أوزار الناس شيئا" (i.e., ‘this would not reduce any part of the burden of those people’); In Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 210, these words have been reported as "لا ينقص من آثام الناس شيئا" (i.e., ‘it would not reduce any part of the sins of those people’).
(This write-up is prepared by the Hadith Cell of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi)
