عَنْ أَبِي نَجِيحٍ الْعِرْبَاضِ بْنِ سَارِيَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: "وَعَظَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم مَوْعِظَةً وَجِلَتْ مِنْهَا الْقُلُوبُ، وَذَرَفَتْ مِنْهَا الْعُيُونُ، فَقُلْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! كَأَنَّهَا مَوْعِظَةُ مُوَدِّعٍ فَأَوْصِنَا، قَالَ: أُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ، وَالسَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ وَإِنْ تَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَبْدٌ، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يَعِشْ مِنْكُمْ فَسَيَرَى اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا، فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَهْدِيينَ، عَضُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِالنَّوَاجِذِ، وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الْأُمُورِ؛ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ". [رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ]، وَاَلتِّرْمِذِيُّ [رقم:266] وَقَالَ: حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ.
On the authority of Abu Najeeh al-’Irbaad ibn Saariyah RA who said:
The Messenger of Allah SAW gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear and tears came to our eyes. So we said, “O Messenger of Allah! It is as though this is a farewell sermon, so counsel us.” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “I counsel you to have taqwa (fear) of Allah, and to listen and obey [your leader], even if a slave were to become your ameer. Verily he among you who lives long will see great controversy, so you must keep to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the Khulafa ar-Rashideen (the rightly guided caliphs), those who guide to the right way. Cling to it stubbornly [literally: with your molar teeth]. Beware of newly invented matters [in the religion], for verily every bidah (innovation) is misguidance.”
[Abu Dawud]
It was related by at-Tirmidhi, who said that it was a good and sound hadeeth.
Among the profound narrations found in Imam An-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith, Hadith 28 offers a moment of deep spiritual reflection. It is narrated by Al-‘Irbaad ibn Sāriyah (رضي الله عنه), a companion of the Prophet ﷺ who may not be as widely recognized as others, yet his role in preserving the words of the Prophet ﷺ is of great significance. Al-‘Irbād, also known by his kuniyah Abu Najih, was one of the Ahl As-Suffah, those companions who devoted themselves entirely to learning and worship in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. Later in life, he moved to Homs (in present-day Syria), where he continued teaching until his death at the age of 75. His narration captures a powerful and heartfelt sermon by the Prophet ﷺ. One that deeply touched the hearts of those present.
In the hadith, Al-‘Irbaad recounts that the Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon so eloquent and moving (mawʿiẓah balīghah) that the companions’ hearts trembled and their eyes overflowed with tears. The Arabic term waʿaẓa (وَعَظَ) used in the narration is far more than a speech. It signifies a sermon that pierces through to the soul, encouraging deep self-reflection and moral transformation. The companions, sensing the emotional weight and profound depth of this moment, felt it could be a farewell sermon and asked the Prophet ﷺ for further counsel. This speaks volumes about the power of his presence and the eternal relevance of his words.
The concept of mawʿiẓah in Islamic tradition refers to more than simple advice; it is a reminder that revives the heart, calls for repentance, and balances hope in Allah’s mercy with fear of His displeasure. The Qur’an itself is described as a mawʿiẓah, as in:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
O mankind, there has come to you an admonition from your Lord and a cure for what is in the hearts - and guidance and mercy for the believers. [Yunus, 10:57]
This verse shows how a true mawʿiẓah offers healing, guidance, and mercy; reaching beyond intellect to the core of human emotion and spirituality.
The companions’ emotional reaction, described using the word wajilat (وَجِلَتْ), “trembled”, reflects a high degree of spiritual sensitivity. This fear was not one of panic but of awe, reverence, and accountability before Allah. It is the same trembling referred to in this verse:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ
The believers are only those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned.
[Al-Anfal, 8:2]
These were not casual listeners. They were students of sincerity, engaged fully with their hearts, minds, and souls.
The Arabic word wajilat is powerful. It denotes a kind of shaking that arises from deep within the heart. A shudder that expresses both intense reverence and a yearning to be in Allah’s pleasure. It's not a paralyzing fear, but an awakening, an inner stirring that pushes the soul toward obedience, humility, and repentance.
This trembling of the companions was a sign of their spiritual vitality. Their hearts were not desensitized by distractions or hardened by habitual sin. Instead, they were alive and porous, readily moved by the truth when they heard it. The Prophet’s ﷺ sermon reached not just their ears but their very cores, reminding them of their mission, their accountability, and their love for Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. This reaction wasn't theatrical. It was sincere, spontaneous, and deeply rooted in faith.
These were not casual listeners, passively absorbing information. They were students of sincerity, fully engaged with their hearts, minds, and souls. The moment they sensed the gravity of the Prophet’s words, they didn’t just admire the rhetoric. They felt it, they feared for themselves, and they were moved to act. As Allah says:
وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَى أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنَ الْحَقِّ
And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they recognize of the truth... [Al-Mā’idah, 5:83]
Their eyes wept because their hearts recognized. The trembling was not fear of doom, but of missing out on divine closeness, of falling short before the One they loved most. It was a trembling born from love, reverence, and a soul fully awake.
This type of spiritual reaction is rare in a world that often prioritizes intellect over heart, and productivity over presence. But this hadith reminds us that true transformation begins when knowledge meets humility, when the reminder hits not just the mind but the heart, causing it to tremble in remembrance, in awe, and in resolve.
To tremble like this is not weakness. It is the highest expression of faith. It is the response of those who truly know their Lord and feel the weight of His words in their bones.
The Prophet ﷺ was not merely giving instructions. He was living the Qur’an. He is described as the “walking Qur’an,” meaning his life was a direct reflection of revelation. When he spoke, it wasn’t just eloquence; it was light and guidance. His balīghah words addressed the rights of Allah, the responsibilities of believers, and the central place of taqwa, God-consciousness, in a Muslim’s life.
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This hadith, while describing a moment in history, speaks directly to us today. It teaches how we, as seekers of knowledge, must approach learning. The companions were not just present physically. They were fully immersed emotionally and spiritually. Their tears were not weakness; they were evidence of living hearts. Today’s learners, especially in the age of digital distractions, must fight harder for presence. Attending a class while scrolling through phones or lying in bed dulls the effect of the lesson. Reverence for knowledge is part of taqwa.
Hadith 28 provides a blueprint: Prepare yourself with humility. Approach every opportunity to learn as a sacred moment. Show respect to your teachers. Internalize what you learn and strive to act upon it. As the Prophet ﷺ taught us, knowledge without action is a burden.
His SAW sermon moved the companions because it was infused with sincerity, balance, and prophetic wisdom. It was not a lecture, it was a farewell. It called them to taqwa. It warned them of deviation. It urged them to hold firmly to the Sunnah, even in the face of trials. The Prophet ﷺ once said, “You must follow my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs after me. Hold onto it tightly and bite onto it with your molars.” (Reported in Abu Dawood and others)
This vivid imagery emphasizes the urgency and effort required to uphold the Sunnah, especially in times of confusion, fitnah, or innovation.
The Prophet ﷺ was not merely giving instructions. He was living the Qur’an. He is described as the “walking Qur’an,” meaning his life was a direct reflection of revelation. When he spoke, it wasn’t just eloquence; it was light and guidance. His balīghah words addressed the rights of Allah, the responsibilities of believers, and the central place of taqwa, God-consciousness, in a Muslim’s life.
To hold up the Sunnah is to uphold that light, not just in words, but in how we live. The Sunnah is not a set of optional customs or historical anecdotes; it is the living legacy of divine mercy, revealed through the Prophet’s character, choices, and actions. In his farewell admonition, the Prophet ﷺ warned that trials would come, differences would arise, and people would go astray. His guidance in those moments? “Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Caliphs after me. Bite onto it with your molar teeth.” This vivid image tells us that holding on to the Sunnah requires effort, intentionality, and a deep personal commitment.
In a time when values shift rapidly, and the lines between truth and falsehood are blurred, the Sunnah stands as a firm anchor. It teaches us how to worship with sincerity, how to deal with others with mercy and justice, how to live with humility and gratitude, and how to maintain balance between hope and fear. Holding up the Sunnah means allowing the Prophet’s ﷺ example to shape our inner world before our outer one, to begin with character before rulings, sincerity before speech, and heart before performance.
When the Prophet ﷺ delivered that soul-stirring sermon, it wasn’t just a message for those present. It was a timeless reminder that the guidance we need has already been shown to us. The Companions didn’t just weep. They internalized, followed, and transmitted. They held up the Sunnah with their hearts and hands, and the world was changed through them.
Today, holding up the Sunnah means living in a way that the Prophet ﷺ would recognize: keeping our hearts soft to reminders, our actions rooted in revelation, and our loyalty firm to his example. It means seeking knowledge with humility, praying with presence, forgiving with mercy, and resisting trends that pull us away from the prophetic path. In doing so, we not only honor him ﷺ, but we honor the guidance that was meant to lead all hearts back to their Creator.
At the heart of this prophetic legacy lies one enduring command; taqwa, God-consciousness. It is the thread that weaves through every sermon, every verse, and every sincere act of worship. In one of the clearest declarations of its universality, Allah says:
وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ
We have certainly enjoined upon those who were given the Scripture before you and upon you to fear Allah. [An-Nisa, 4:131]
This verse powerfully affirms that taqwa is not a spiritual luxury. It is a divine requirement, addressed to every community, every age, and every soul. It transcends knowledge, status, or ritual. It is not reserved for scholars or saints alone; it is the birthright and responsibility of every believer.
Taqwa comes from the root word waqā, which means to protect or shield. Spiritually, taqwa is the shield the believer constructs between themselves and Allah’s displeasure. It is nurtured through obedience, purified through repentance, and strengthened by constant remembrance. It reshapes how we think, speak, and act—cultivating vigilance in the unseen and integrity in the seen.
The scholars have described taqwa as comprising four essential qualities:
- Fulfilling what Allah has commanded, no matter how small.
- Avoiding what He has prohibited, even when alone.
- Staying away from doubtful matters, as a safeguard for the heart.
- And maintaining constant awareness of Allah, in both ease and hardship.
To live with taqwa is to walk with Allah in mind at all times, in solitude and in society, in wealth and in struggle, in power and in humility. It becomes the compass for one’s moral decisions and the fuel for sincere worship. And it is taqwa that enables us to truly uphold the Sunnah, not as a cultural identity, but as a conscious choice to walk in the Prophet’s ﷺ footsteps with reverence and love.
In a world saturated with distractions, doubts, and distortions, taqwa is the inner alarm, the spiritual clarity that whispers: “What would please Allah? What would the Prophet ﷺ do?” It is this inner state that preserves the Sunnah in our hearts before our habits, and that transforms knowledge into light, not just information.
In conclusion, Hadith 28 is not just a moving farewell; it is a lifelong invitation to taqwa, to sincerity, and to unshakeable adherence to the Prophet’s Sunnah. It invites us to reflect on how we receive reminders. Do they change us? Do we tremble when Allah is mentioned? The Prophet ﷺ said, “I was only sent to perfect good character.” (Reported in Al-Muwatta’ and others)
This hadith, and the sermon it captures, is a clear manifestation of that mission. Let it stir us, humble us, and redirect us. Let it call us back to hearts that tremble for Allah, eyes that cry out of love and fear, and hands that hold onto the Sunnah with unwavering strength.
Disclaimer:
Hadith #28 - Duty to Uphold the Sunnah
Instructor: Sheikh Dr. Sajid Umar | STEPS TO JANNAH S3 EP 19 | Forty Hadith Imam Nawawi
Hadith #28 - Duty to Uphold the Sunnah
Instructor: Sheikh Dr. Sajid Umar | STEPS TO JANNAH S3 EP 19 | Forty Hadith Imam Nawawi
These are notes sharing from the Steps of Jannah classes online taught by Sheikh Dr Sajid Umar focusing on Hadith 40 an-Nawawi. The classes are still ongoing, every Monday 8pm UK time. If you would like to join, please email stepstojannah12@gmail.com
The notes written are from a student’s personal notes transcribed from the sessions. Should there be any error, May Allah forgive us, and do feedback (ain1810@gmail.com) so that it can get amended, and may it be beneficial to all of us and may Allah reward Jannah to Sh Sajid and his team for the beneficial ‘ilm being shared and to all of the students Steps to Jannah, Ameen.
The notes written are from a student’s personal notes transcribed from the sessions. Should there be any error, May Allah forgive us, and do feedback (ain1810@gmail.com) so that it can get amended, and may it be beneficial to all of us and may Allah reward Jannah to Sh Sajid and his team for the beneficial ‘ilm being shared and to all of the students Steps to Jannah, Ameen.