This chapter is about wasting no time when good is within reach. The Arabic title speaks of al-mubadarah, racing ahead to the good and seizing the moment with seriousness rather than hesitation. The Prophet (peace be upon him) warns that hearts can change overnight and that age, illness, wealth, and upheaval can all quietly close the door on the deeds we keep meaning to do.
Notice how the lesson is shown, not just stated. The Prophet hurries from his own prayer to release a forgotten piece of charity, a Companion drops his dates to run toward martyrdom, and another grasps a sword the moment its true cost is named. The thread across these hadith is simple: when the heart is warm and the chance is here, move now, because no one is promised the next morning.
Hadith 87
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
فالأول: عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: " بادروا بالأعمال فتناً كقطع الليل المظلم يصبح الرجل مؤمنا ويمسي كافراً ويمسي مؤمنا ويصبح كافراً، يبيع دينه بعرض من الدنيا" ((رواه مسلم)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Be prompt in doing good deeds (before you are overtaken) by turbulence which would be like a part of the dark night. A man would be a believer in the morning and turn to disbelief in the evening, or he would be a believer in the evening and turn disbeliever in the morning, and would sell his Faith for worldly goods." [Muslim].
In plain words
Hurry to do good before troubled times come when faith itself can shift overnight and be traded away for worldly gain. Seize the chance for good while your heart is still firm.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 87 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 87
Hadith 88
'Uqbah bin Al-Harith (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
الثاني عن أبي سروعة -بكسر السين المهملة وفتحها- عقبة ابن الحارث رضي الله عنه قال: صليت وراء النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بالمدينة العصر، فسلم ثم قام مسرعاً فتخطى رقاب الناس إلى بعض حجر نسائه، ففزع الناس من سرعته، فخرج عليهم، فرأى أنهم قد عجبوا من سرعته، قال "ذكرت شيئاً من تبر عندنا فكرهت أن يحبسنى، فأمرت بقسمته" ((رواه البخاري)). وفي رواية للبخاري : كنت خلفت في البيت تبراً من الصدقة، فكرهت أن أبيته . ((التبر)) قطع ذهب أو فضة
Once I performed the 'Asr prayer in Al-Madinah behind the Prophet (ﷺ). He (ﷺ) got up quickly after finishing the prayer with Taslim, and stepping over the people, went to one of the rooms of his wives. The people were startled at his haste, and when he came out and saw their astonishment at his urgency he said, "I recalled that there was left with me some gold which was meant for charity; I did not like to keep it any longer, so I gave orders that it should be distributed". [Al-Bukhari]. In another narration, Messenger of Allah said, "I had left some gold for Sadaqah in the house, and did not wish to keep it overnight".
In plain words
The Prophet rushed straight from prayer to release some charity he had kept, unwilling to delay a good deed even briefly. When good is within reach, do not put it off.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 88 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 88
Hadith 89
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
الثالث: عن جابر رضي الله عنه قال: قال رجل للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم أحد: : رَأيتَ إنْ قُتِلتُ فَأَيْنَ أَنَا ؟ قَالَ : « في الجنَّةِ » فَأَلْقَى تَمَرَاتٍ كُنَّ في يَدِهِ ، ثُمَّ قَاتَلَ حَتَّى قُتِلَ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيهِ .
A man, said to the Prophet (ﷺ) during the battle of Uhud: "Tell me where I shall be if I am killed". When he (ﷺ) replied that he would be in Jannah, the man threw away some dates which he had in his hand and fought until he was killed. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Told he would enter Paradise if killed, a man dropped his dates and fought until he died. When the worth of a good deed becomes clear, a sincere heart acts without hesitation.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 89 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 89
Hadith 90
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
عن أبي هريرة ، قَالَ : جاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبيِّ فَقَالَ : يَا رسولَ الله ، أيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أعْظَمُ أجْرَاً ؟ قَالَ : « أنْ تَصَدَّقَ وَأنتَ صَحيحٌ شَحيحٌ ، تَخشَى الفَقرَ وتَأمُلُ الغِنَى ، وَلا تُمهِلْ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغتِ الحُلقُومَ قُلْتَ لِفُلان كذا ولِفُلانٍ كَذا ، وقَدْ كَانَ لِفُلانٍ » . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيهِ .
There came a man to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, which charity is the most rewardable?" He (ﷺ) said, "That you should give charity (in a state when you are) healthy and stingy and fear poverty, hoping to become rich (charity in such a state of health and mind is the best). And you must not defer (charity to such a length) that you are about to die and would be saying: 'This is for so-and-so, and this for so-and-so.' Lo! It has already come into (the possession of) so-and- so". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
The best charity is given while you are healthy, tight with money, and fearing poverty, not put off until death when it is leaving your hands anyway. Giving when it is hard is what truly counts.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 90 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 90
Hadith 91
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
الخامس: عن أنس رضي الله عنه، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أخذ سيفاً يوم أحد فقال: " من يأخذ مني هذا؟ فبسطوا أيديهم، كل إنسان منهم يقول: أنا أنا. قال: "فمن يأخذه بحقه؟" فأحجم القوم، فقال أبو دجانة رضي الله عنه: أنا آخذه بحقه، فأخذه ففلق به هام المشركين. ((رواه مسلم)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took up a sword on the day of the battle of Uhud and said, "Who will take this sword from me?" Everyone stretched forth his hand saying: "I will take it; I will take it". He (the Prophet (ﷺ)) said, "Who will take it with its full responsibility (i.e., to use it to fight Allah's enemies with it)?" The Companions hesitated. Abu Dujanah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "I shall take it;" and with it he cracked the skulls of the pagans. [Muslim].
In plain words
Many reached for the sword, but only one took it knowing its full responsibility and used it as it was meant. True readiness means accepting the duty, not just the honour.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 91 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 91
Hadith 92
Az-Zubair bin 'Adi said:
السادس: عن الزبير بن عدي قال: أتينا أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه فشكونا إليه ما نلقى من الحجاج. فقال: "اصبروا فإنه لا يأتي زمان إلا والذي بعده شر منه حتى تلقوا ربكم" سمعته من نبيكم صلى الله عليه وسلم.((رواه البخاري)).
We went to Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) and complained to him of suffering at the hands of Al-Hajjaj. He replied: "Show endurance, for no time will come but will be followed by one worse (than the present one) till you meet your Rubb. I heard this from your Prophet (ﷺ)". [Al- Bukhari].
In plain words
Anas urged patience under hardship, noting that times will keep getting harder until you meet your Lord. Endure the present rather than pinning hopes on easier days ahead.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 92 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 92
Hadith 93
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
السابع: عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: " بادروا بالأعمال سبعاً. هل تنتظرون إلا فقراً منسياً، أو غنى مطغياً، أو مرضاً مفسداً، أو هرماً مفنداً أو موتاً مجهزاً أو الدجال فشر غائب ينتظر، أو الساعة فالساعة أدهى وأمر!" ((رواه الترمذي وقال: حديث حسن)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions." Then (giving a warning) he said, "Are you waiting for such poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion; or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or disease as will disable you, or such senility as will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected absent, or the Hour, and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter". [At-Tirmidhi, who categorized it as Hadith Hasan].
In plain words
Hasten to do good before troubles overtake you: poverty, corrupting wealth, disabling illness, old age, sudden death, or the great upheavals to come. None of us is promised tomorrow, so act now.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 93 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 93
Hadith 94
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
الثامن: عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال يوم خيبر: "لأعطين هذه الراية رجلا يحب الله ورسوله، يفتح الله على يديه" قال عمر رضي الله عنه: ما أحببت الإمارة إلا يؤمئذ، فتساورت لها رجاء أن أدعى لها، فدعا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عليّ بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه فأعطاه إياها وقال: " أمش ولا تلتفت حتى يفتح الله عليك" فسار علي شيئاً، ثم وقف ولم يلتفت، فصرخ: يا رسول الله، على ماذا أقاتل الناس؟ قال: " قاتلهم حتى يشهدوا أن لا إله إلا الله، وأن محمداً رسول الله، فإذا فعلوا ذلك فقد منعوا منك دماءهم وأموالهم إلا بحقها، وحسابهم على الله" ((رواه مسلم)): (14)
On the day of the battle of Khaibar, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I shall hand over this banner to one who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah will give us victory through him." 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "I had never longed for leadership but that day I expected that I might be called for. However, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) called 'Ali bin Abu Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) and handed the banner to him and said, "Go forth and do not turn around till Allah bestows victory upon you". (On hearing this) 'Ali proceeded a little and then halted and without turning around inquired in a loud voice: "O Messenger of Allah, for what shall I fight them?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Go on fighting till they affirm that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. If they admit that, their lives and their properties will be secured, subject to their obligations according to Islam, and they will be answerable to Allah". [Muslim].
In plain words
The Prophet gave the banner to one who loves Allah and His Messenger, sending him to call people to faith, with their lives and property safe once they believe. Sincere love of Allah is what earns true honour and trust.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 94 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 94