Warning against persecution of the Pious, the Weak and the Indigent

باب التحذير من إيذاء الصالحين و الضعفة و المساكين

This short chapter carries a sober warning. The same Allah who loves and shades the righteous also watches over the duties owed to Him, and over how His servants treat the believers under His care. an-Nawawi pairs the honour of the previous chapters with a reminder of accountability.

The single hadith here centres on dhimmah, the protection or pledge of Allah that the believer enters by guarding the prayer. The point to notice is that this protection is not a blank cheque: it comes with a trust to keep, and falling short of what is owed to Allah is a grave matter.

Hadith 389

Jundub bin Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

وعن جندب بن عبد الله رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ من صلى صلاة الصبح، فهو في ذمة الله، فلا يطلبنكم الله من ذمته بشئ، فإنه من يطلبه من ذمته بشئ، يدركه، ثم يكبه على وجهه في نار جهنم ‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who performs the Fajr (dawn) prayer comes under the Protection of Allah, so beware lest Allah questions you about what you owe Him. For if He questions anyone of you and he falls short of fulfilling the duty which he owes Him, He will requite and then throw upon his face into the Hellfire". [Muslim].

In plain words

Performing the dawn prayer places a person under Allah's protection. The Prophet warns us to honor that trust and the duties we owe Allah, for falling short of them is a serious matter.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 389 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 389