The Best of the Best

have you ever wondered to yourself what it actually means to be the best?

when we are told that 'this is the best' or 'that was the greatest' or 'this will bring the most benefit' etc,have you ever thought who on earth gave such people/editors the authority to tell us that? in an age when we have a plethora of 'top 10' or 'top 100' lists on everything from cars to films, from foods to places, one wonders where is that list that will really provide some benefit to us in this current short life and the next very long one.

well, wait no more. below, from a choice of hundreds of narrations from our beloved prophet muhammad, peace be upon him, you can find 100 hadîth, in no particular order of merit, detailing ways on exactly how to become the best, how to have the most excellent characteristics, what really will prove most beneficial for us to know, what really are the greatest things to think about and hope for and indeed, how to become the most beloved of people to our magnificent creator, allah, the most high.

no more subjectivity, no more empty statements; just the divine criteria of what really is the best as developed by the very best himself, muhammad al-mustapha, upon whom be peace. for an explanation of the meaning of each of these hadîth, you can visit here.

so go on, don't be ordinary. don't be common. don't be typical ...
be the best.

sayyidina muhammad, peace be upon him, told us:

1. "the best of the muslims is he from whose hand and tongue the muslims are safe." [muslim]
2. "the best of people are those with the most excellent character." [tabarâni, sahîh]
3. "the best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind." [dâraqutni, hasan]
4. "the best of people are those who are best in fulfilling [rights]." [ibn mâjah, sahîh]
5. "the best of people during fitnah is a man who takes up the reins of his horse pursuing the enemies of allah, causing them fear yet they make him fearful too, or a man who secludes himself in the desert fulfilling the rights of allah upon him." [hâkim, sahîh]
6. "the best of mankind is my generation, then those that follow them and then those that follow them. then there shall come a people after them who will become avaricious, who will love gluttony, and who will give witness before they are asked for it." [tirmidhî, sahîh]
7. "the best of people are those who live longest and excel in their deeds, whereas the worst of people are those who live longest and corrupt their deeds." [tirmidhî, sahîh]
8. "the best of women are those that please him [her husband] when he sees her, obeys him when she is commanded, and who does not secretly betray him with regards to herself and her money in that which he dislikes." [ahmad, sahîh]
9. "the best of women are those that please you when you see them, obey you when commanded, and who safeguard themselves and your money in your absence." [tabarâni, sahîh]
10. "the best of marriages are the easiest ones." [abu dâwûd, sahîh]
11. "the best of your dates is the borniyyû date; it expels disease yet does not contain any disease itself." [hâkim, hasan]
12. "the best of your garments are those which are white; shroud your dead in them and clothe your living with them. the best of that which you apply to your eyelids is antimony causing the eyelashes to grow and sharpening the eyesight." [ibn hibbân, sahîh]
13. "the best quality of your religion is scrupulousness." [hâkim, sahîh]
14. "the best of your religion is that which is easiest." [ahmad, sahîh]
15. "the best of the prayer lines for men are the first rows, the worst being the final rows. the best of the prayer lines for women are the final rows and the worst are the first rows." [muslim]
16. "the best prayers for women are those performed in the most secluded parts of their houses." [ibn khuzaymah, sahîh]
17. "the best of you in islam are those who are most excellent in character as long as you deeply understand the religion." [ahmad, sahîh]
18. "the best of you are the best of you in fulfilling [rights]." [ahmad, sahîh]
19. "the best of you are those who are best to their families, and i am the best of you to my family." [tirmidhî, sahîh]
20. "the best of you are my generation, then those that follow them and then those that follow them. then there shall come after them a people who will betray and be untrustworthy, will give witness even though they have not been asked to, will make vows yet will not fulfil them and obesity will appear amongst them." [bukhâri]
21. "the best of you are those who feed others and return greetings." [abu ya'lâ, hasan]
22. "the best of you is he from whom good is anticipated and safety from his evil is assured; the worst of you is he from whom nothing good is expected and one is not safe from his evil." [tirmidhî, sahîh]
23. "the best thing mankind has been given is excellent character." [hâkim, sahîh]
24. "the best of that which you treat yourself with is cupping." [hâkim, sahîh]
25. "the best of journeys undertaken are to this mosque of mine and the ancient house." [ahmad, sahîh]
26. "the best of which man can leave behind for himself are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, an ongoing charity whose reward continues to reach him and knowledge which others benefit from after him." [ibn hibbân, hasan]
27. "the best mosques for women are the most secluded parts of their houses." [bayhaqi, sahîh]
28. "the best of the world's women are four: maryum bint 'imrân, khadîjah bint khuwaylid, fâtimah bint muhammad and âsiyah the wife of fir'awn." [ahmad, sahîh]
29. "the best of days that you should perform cupping are the 17th, 19th and 21st of the month. i did not pass a single gathering of angels on the night of isrâ' except that they would say to me, 'o muhammad, perform cupping!'" [ahmad, sahîh]
30. "the best day on which the sun has risen is friday; on it âdam was created, on it âdam was made to enter paradise and on it he was expelled. the hour will not be established except on friday." [muslim]
31. "verily, the best of perfume for men is that which is strong in smell and light in colour, and the best of perfume for women is that which is strong in colour and light in smell." [tirmidhî, sahîh]
32. "the most beloved of religions according to allah the most high is the 'easy and flexible religion.'" [ahmad, hasan]
33. "the most beloved of deeds according to allah are the continuous ones, even if they are little." [agreed upon]
34. "the most beloved of names according to allah are 'abd allah, 'abd'l-rahmân and hârith." [abu ya'lâ, sahîh]
35. "the most beloved of deeds according to allah are the prayer in its right time, then to treat the parents in an excellent manner, and then jihâd in the path of allah." [agreed upon]
36. "the most beloved of deeds according to allah is that you die and yet your tongue is still moist from the remembrance of allah." [ibn hibbân, hasan]
37. "the most beloved words according to allah the most high are four: subhânallah, alhamdulillâh, lâ ilâha illallah and allahu akbar; there is no problem with which one you start with." [muslim]
38. "the most beloved of speech according to allah is when the servant says, 'subhânallahi wa bihamdihî' [how transcendent is allah and we praise him!]." [muslim]
39. "the most beloved of speech according to allah the most high is that which allah chose for his angels: subhâna rabbî wa bihamdihî, subhâna rabbî wa bihamdihî, subhâna rabbî wa bihamdihî." [tirmidhî, sahîh]
40. "the most beloved of people according to allah is he who brings most benefit, and the most beloved of deeds according to allah the mighty, the magnificent, is that you bring happiness to a fellow muslim, or relieve him of distress, or pay off his debt or stave away hunger from him. it is more beloved to me that i walk with my brother muslim in his time of need than i stay secluded in the mosque for a month. whoever holds back his anger, allah will cover his faults and whoever suppresses his fury while being able to execute it, allah will fill his heart with satisfaction on the day of standing. whoever walks with his brother muslim in need until he establishes that for him, allah will establish his feet firmly on the day when all feet shall slip. indeed, bad character ruins deeds just as vinegar ruins honey." [tabarâni, hasan]
41. "the most beloved of people to me is 'â'ishah and from the men, abu bakr." [agreed upon]
42. "the best of people in recitation are those who when they recite, you see that they fear allah." [bayhaqi, sahîh]
43. "the best of your leaders are those that you love and they love you, you supplicate for them and they supplicate for you. the worst of your leaders are those that you hate and they hate you, you curse them and they curse you." [muslim]
44. "the best of you are those who are best in paying off their debts." [tahâwi, sahîh]
45. "the best of you are those with the longest lives and most excellent character." [bazzâr, sahîh]
46. "the best of you are those with the longest lives and best in action." [hâkim, sahîh]
47. "the best of you are those with the softest shoulders during prayer." [bayhaqi, hasan]
48. "the best of you are those who are best to their wives." [tirmidhî, sahîh]
49. "the best of you are those who are best to their families." [tabarâni, sahîh]
50. "the best of you during the 'period of ignorance' are the best of you in islam as long as they deeply understand the religion." [bukhâri]
51. "the best of you are those who learn the qur'ân and teach it." [dârimi, sahîh]
52. "the best of companions according to allah are those who are best to their companion and the best of neighbours according to allah are those that are best to their neighbour." [tirmidhî, sahîh]
53. "the best of places are the mosques and the worst of places are the markets." [tabarâni, hasan]
54. "the best supplication on the day of 'arafah and the best thing that i and the prophets before me ever said was, 'lâ ilâha illallah wahdahû lâ sharîka lahû, lahû'l-mulk wa lahû'l-hamd wa huwa 'alâ kulli shay'in qadîr.'" [tirmidhî, hasan]
55. "the best of provision is that which suffices." [ahmad in 'zuhd', hasan]
56. "the best testimony is when one gives it before he is asked to do so." [tabarâni, sahîh]
57. "the best of dowries are the easiest." [hâkim, sahîh]
58. "the best of charity is that which still leaves you self-sufficient for the upper hand is better than the lower hand; start with those you are responsible for." [tabarâni, sahîh]
59. "the best of gatherings are those that are most open." [abu dâwûd, sahîh]
60. "the most beloved deed according to allah is to have faith in allah, then to maintain the ties of kinship, and then to command to good and forbid the wrong. the most abhorrent of deeds according to allah is to associate partners with him, then to cut the ties of kinship." [abu ya'lâ, hasan]
61. "the most beloved jihâd according to allah is that a word of truth be spoken to a tyrant ruler." [tabarâni, hasan]
62. "the most beloved word according to me is that which is most truthful." [bukhâri]
63. "the most beloved fast according to allah is the fast of dâwûd; he would fast every alternate day. the most beloved prayer according to allah is the prayer of dâwûd; he would sleep half the night, stand a third and then sleep for a sixth." [agreed upon]
64. "the most beloved dish according to allah is that which most hands feed from." [ibn hibbân, hasan]
65. "the most beloved servant of allah is he who is most beneficial to his dependents." [zawâ'id al-zuhd, hasan]
66. "the best of earnings is that of the labourer as long as he tries his best." [ahmad, hasan]
67. "the best of all deeds is to have faith in allah alone, then jihâd and then an accepted hajj; they surpass all other deeds like the distance between the rising and setting of the sun." [ahmad, sahîh]
68. "the best of all deeds is the prayer at its earliest time." [tirmidhî, sahîh]
69. "the best of all deeds is the prayer in its right time, to treat the parents honourably and jihâd in the path of allah." [al-khatîb, sahîh]
70. "the best of all deeds is that you bring happiness to your muslim brother, pay off his debt or feed him bread." [ibn adiyy, hasan]
71. "the best of faith is patience and magnanimity." [ahmad, sahîh]
72. "the best of days according to allah is friday." [bayhaqi, sahîh]
73. "the best of jihâd is that man strives against his soul and desires." [daylami, sahîh]
74. "the best hajj is that with the most raised voices and flowing blood." [tirmidhî, hasan]
75. "the best of supplications is that of on the day of 'arafah, and the best thing that was said by myself and the prophets before me was, "lâ ilâha illallah wahdahû lâ sharîka lahû." [there is nothing worthy of worship except allah alone, he has no partners.] [mâlik, hasan]
76. "the best of dinars are: the dinâr spent by a man upon his dependents, the dinâr spent by a man upon his horse in the path of allah and the dinâr spent by a man upon his companions in the path of allah, the mighty, the magnificent." [muslim]
77. "the best word of remembrance is: lâ ilâha illallah and the best supplication is: alhamdulillâh." [tirmidhî, hasan]
78. "the best word of remembrance is: lâ ilâha illallah and the best [expression of giving] thanks is: alhamdulillâh." [baghawi, hasan]
79. "the best of hours are those deep in the latter part of the night." [tabarâni, sahîh]
80. "the best of all martyrs are those who fight in the front line; they do not turn their faces away until they are killed. they will be rolling around in the highest rooms of paradise, their lord laughing at them - when your lord laughs at a servant, there is no accounting for him." [ahmad, sahîh]
81. "the best of all martyrs is he whose blood is shed and whose horse is slaughtered." [tabarâni, sahîh]
82. "the best of all charity is the shade of a canopy [provided] in the path of allah, the mighty and magnificent, to gift ones servant in the path of allah and to gift ones she-camel in the path of allah." [ahmad, hasan]
83. "the best of all charity is that which is given to the relative that harbours enmity against you." [ahmad, sahîh]
84. "the best of all charity is that you give it while you are healthy and desirous [of that money], hoping to become wealthy but fearing poverty. don't delay until you are about to breathe your last and then you say, 'this is for 'so and so' and this is for 'so and so'', for indeed, it has already been written that 'so and so' would receive that." [abu dâwûd, sahîh]
85. "the best of all charity is when the one with little strives to give; start with those you are responsible for." [hâkim, sahîh]
86. "the best charity is to provide water." [ibn mâjah, hasan]
87. "the best prayer after the obligatory ones is the prayer in the depth of the night, and the best fast after the month of ramadhân is the month of allah, muharram." [muslim]
88. "the best prayer is the prayer of the man in his home except for the obligatory prayer." [nasâ'î, sahîh]
89. "the best prayer is that with the longest standing." [muslim]
90. "the best of all prayers according to allah is the friday morning prayer in congregation." [ibn nu'aym, sahîh]
91. "the best fast is the fast of my brother dâwûd; he would fast every alternate day and he would never flee [the battlefront] when the armies would meet." [tirmidhî, sahîh]
92. "the best of all fasts after ramadhân is in the month that you call muharram." [nasâ'î, sahîh]
93. "the best of all worship is supplication." [hâkim, sahîh]
94. "the best deed is the prayer in its right time and jihâd in the path of allah." [bayhaqi, sahîh]
95. "the best of the qur'ân is: "alhamdulillâhi rabb'l-'âlamîn". [hâkim, sahîh]
96. "the best of earnings is a blessed sale and that which a man earns with his hands." [ahmad, sahîh]
97. "the best of the believers is the most excellent of them in character." [ibn mâjah, sahîh]
98. "the best of the believers with respect to islam is the one from whose hand and tongue the muslims are safe; and the best of the believers with respect to îmân are the most excellent of them in character; and the best of those who migrate is he who migrates from that which allah the most high has prohibited; and the best of jihâd is when one strives against his soul for the sake of allah, the mighty, the magnificent." [tabarâni, sahîh]
99. "the best of mankind is the believer between two honourable persons." [tabarâni, sahîh]
100. "the best of all days in the world are the ten days [of dhul hijjah]." [bazzâr, sahîh]