عَنْ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم "لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يَكُونَ هَوَاهُ تَبَعًا لِمَا جِئْتُ بِهِ". حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ، رَوَيْنَاهُ فِي كِتَابِ "الْحُجَّةِ" بِإِسْنَادٍ صَحِيحٍ.
On the authority of Abu Muhammad Abdullah bin ’Amr bin al-’Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “None of you [truly] believes until his desires are subservient to that which I have brought.” [Imam an-Nawawi says:] We have related it in Kitab al-Hujjah with a saheeh chain of narrators.
Among the powerful narrations collected in Imam al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith is Hadith 41, narrated by the noble Companion ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ (رضي الله عنه). Ibn ʿAmr was a prominent figure in early Islam, known for his scholarship, his piety, and his service to the Prophet ﷺ. Though he hailed from a wealthy and influential Meccan family and initially opposed the daʿwah of Islam, Allah willed guidance for him, and he embraced faith wholeheartedly. He would later play a pivotal role in the spread of Islam, including leading the conquest of Egypt and serving as its governor. His life is a testimony to how the light of faith can transform even the strongest opposition into sincere devotion.
In this narration, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يَكُونَ هَوَاهُ تَبَعًا لِمَا جِئْتُ بِهِ
“None of you truly believes until his desires are in accordance with what I have brought.”
This hadith strikes at the very heart of the believer’s spiritual journey: the struggle between one’s personal inclinations and the divine will. Faith (īmān) is not merely an intellectual acceptance of the truth; rather, it is a living submission that manifests when one’s will is aligned with Allah’s revelation.
The Qur’an confirms this principle in unequivocal terms:
فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
“But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves, and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have decided and submit fully in willing submission.” (Qur’an 4:65)
This verse, cited by many scholars when discussing this hadith, highlights that complete faith requires both outward acceptance and inward contentment with the Prophet’s judgment. It is not enough to comply outwardly while harboring resentment in the heart; true īmān demands harmony between belief, desire, and action.
Imam al-Nawawi, when commenting on this narration, points out that its meaning is sound and supported by the Qur’an, even though some scholars differed on the strength of its chain of transmission. The early scholars of hadith would sometimes strengthen weak narrations if their meanings were firmly rooted in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Thus, this hadith stands as a guiding principle: īmān is not complete until the ego and its inclinations surrender to revelation.
It is essential to understand that when the Prophet ﷺ negates belief in certain hadith, it does not necessarily mean that the person has left Islam altogether. Rather, it signifies a deficiency in faith. For example, when he ﷺ said, “None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself”, the intent was not to expel a person from Islam if he falls short, but to emphasize that such virtues are integral to perfecting one’s faith. Similarly, in this hadith, “None of you truly believes” means that true and complete belief cannot coexist with a heart enslaved to unchecked desires.
This distinction is crucial because groups such as the Khawārij misunderstood such narrations, declaring Muslims who committed major sins to be disbelievers. The balanced understanding of Ahl al-Sunnah is that īmān has degrees—it increases with obedience and decreases with sin. A believer may fall into weakness, but so long as the foundation of faith remains, he is not stripped of īmān entirely.
What, then, does it mean for desires to follow revelation? It means that when confronted with a choice between what one craves and what Allah commands, the believer chooses the command of Allah, even if it contradicts his immediate inclinations. It means training the soul to prefer the eternal over the fleeting, the divine over the ego, the straight path over the whispers of passion. This does not imply perfection, for even the most righteous may stumble. But the consistent pattern of a believer’s life is one of striving to align his will with the will of Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
“The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, though both are good.” (Muslim)
The strength here lies not in physical might but in spiritual resolve—the ability to discipline the nafs and resist its whims. A person who constantly submits to his desires, excusing his disobedience with rationalizations, risks falling into cognitive dissonance. He convinces himself that his actions are acceptable while ignoring the dissonance between his claims of faith and his reality. Such a person becomes, in truth, a slave of his ego rather than a servant of Allah.
Yet, Islam is a faith of balance and mercy. Falling into sin does not erase one’s īmān, but persisting in sin without repentance corrodes it. The believer is therefore called to constant self-examination, repentance, and renewal of intention. The higher station is not to be sinless, but to always return to Allah with humility and submission whenever one slips.
In conclusion, Hadith 41 teaches us that the essence of faith is surrender—surrender of the heart, the will, and the desires to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. It reminds us that īmān is not static; it is dynamic, increasing with obedience and decreasing with disobedience. To be a true servant of Allah is to struggle against the ego, to recognize one’s weaknesses, and to strive continually for alignment with divine guidance. As long as this struggle continues, hope remains alive, for Allah is ever ready to forgive and elevate those who turn back to Him. May Allah make us of those whose desires are guided by revelation, and whose hearts find peace in submission.
Disclaimer:
Instructor: Sheikh Dr. Sajid Umar | STEPS TO JANNAH S4 | 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.