1251 – It is narrated from al-Nawwās ibn Samʿān (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said, “I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about al-birr (righteousness) and al-ithm (sin).” He replied, “Al-birr is good character, and al-ithm is that which troubles your chest and you would hate for people to see it.” Recorded by Muslim.⦗1⦘

Vocabulary of the ḥadīth
• Al-birr: expansiveness in doing good; a comprehensive term that gathers every virtue—earning good deeds, avoiding evils, and engaging in constant, sincere obedience.
• Good character: Ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd defined it as fairness in dealings, gentleness in debate, equity in judgments, generosity and beneficence, and other qualities of the believers.
• Al-ithm: sins and transgressions, whether against Allah or against His creation. Ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd said, “Sin is whatever engenders aversion in the heart; this principle may be used to identify sin.”
• Ḥāka (wavered): when something hesitates and stirs in your breast and you fear it may be a wrongdoing.

Lessons derived from the ḥadīth
The report explains two terms—al-birr and al-ithm—as follows:
Al-birr: Ibn Rajab said, “Birr embraces every inward act of obedience—such as faith in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers—and every outward act of obedience—such as spending wealth in what Allah loves, establishing prayer, giving zakāh, fulfilling covenants, and showing patience with Allah’s decrees like illness and poverty, as well as patience in acts of worship, such as steadfastness when facing the enemy.”

It is therefore possible that the Prophet’s answer in the ḥadīth of al-Nawwās encompasses all of these qualities;