207 — Abū Shuayb Abd Allah ibn al-Hasan al-Harrānī narrated to us. He said: Abd al-Azīz ibn Abī Rawwād al-Harrānī narrated to us. He said: Hammād ibn Salama narrated to us, from Alī ibn ⦗573⦘ Zayd, from Yahyā ibn Yamar, who said:

“I said to Ibn Umar, ‘Among us in Iraq are men who say that they act if they wish and refrain from acting if they wish; that they enter Paradise if they wish and enter the Fire if they wish; and that they do whatever they please.’

“Ibn Umar replied, ‘Tell them that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me.’

“He then said, ‘Gabriel came to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and said, “O Muhammad.”

“‘He replied, “At your service.”

“‘Gabriel asked, “What is Islam?”

“‘He replied, “It is to worship Allah without associating anything with Him, to perform the prescribed prayer, give the obligatory zakat, fast the month of Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the House.”

“‘He asked, “If I do that, am I a Muslim?”

“‘He replied, “Yes.”

“‘He said, “You have spoken the truth. What, then, is excellence?”

“‘He replied, “It is to fear Allah as though you see Him; for although you do not see Him, He sees you.”

“‘He asked, “If I do that, have I attained excellence?”

“‘He replied, “Yes.”

“‘He said, “You have spoken the truth. What, then, is faith?”

“‘He replied, “It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His messengers, resurrection after death, Paradise and the Fire, and divine decree in its entirety.”

“‘He asked, “If I do ⦗574⦘ that, am I a believer?”

“‘He replied, “Yes.”

“‘He said, “You have spoken the truth.”’”