righteous deeds, such as recitation and remembrance of Allah, and avoiding the evil deeds they describe as reprehensible.

A parallel to this is the Prophet’s statement (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhārī from ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Amr:

“Convey from me, even if only a single verse. Relate reports from the Children of Israel; there is no harm in doing so. Whoever deliberately lies about me, let him take his seat in the Fire.”

This is to be considered alongside his statement (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in the authentic hadith:

“When the People of the Book tell you something, neither affirm nor deny what they say.”

He permitted relating reports from them, yet prohibited affirming or denying what they say. Had there been no benefit in simply relating their reports, he would neither have permitted nor instructed it. And had it been permissible to affirm what they say merely because they reported it, he would not have prohibited affirming it. Thus, in certain circumstances, people benefit from what they think may be true.

If, however, weak hadiths concerning the virtues of deeds prescribe specific measures and particulars—such as a prayer at a specified time, with a specified recitation, or in a specified manner—acting upon those specifications is not permissible, because no scriptural evidence has established that this particular form is recommended.

This differs from a report stating that whoever enters the marketplace and says, “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,” will receive such-and-such a reward. Remembering Allah in the marketplace is recommended, since it entails remembering Him among the heedless, as stated in the well-known hadith:

“One who remembers Allah among the heedless is like a green tree among dry trees.”