550 — “If your good deed pleases you and your bad deed grieves you, then you are a believer.”

Ahmad (5/251, 252, 256), Ibn Hibban (103), and al-Hakim (1/14) narrated it through Hisham al-Dastawa’i, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Zayd ibn Salam, from his grandfather Mamtur, from Abu Umamah, who said: “A man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is faith?’ He replied with the foregoing. The man then said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is sin?’ He replied, ‘If something causes unease in your heart, then leave it.’”

Al-Hakim said—and al-Dhahabi agreed with him—“It is authentic, with a continuous chain, according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs.” I say: Rather, it is only according to Muslim’s conditions, for al-Bukhari did not narrate from either Zayd ibn Salam or his grandfather Mamtur in his Sahih, but only in al-Adab al-Mufrad.

551 — “The best hours are the latter part of the night.”

Ahmad (5/385) narrated it from Muhammad ibn Dhakwan, from Shahr ibn Hawshab, from ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah, who said: “I came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, who has followed you in this matter?’ He replied, ‘A free man and a slave.’ I said, ‘What is Islam?’ He replied, ‘Gracious speech and feeding others.’ I said, ‘What is faith?’ He replied, ‘Patience and generosity.’ I said, ‘Which Islam is best?’ He replied, ‘That from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe.’ I said, ‘Which faith is best?’ He replied, ‘Good character.’ I said, ‘Which prayer is best?’ He replied, ‘Prolonged standing in prayer.’ I said, ‘Which migration is best?’ He replied, ‘That you forsake what your Lord dislikes.’”