It is the time of year where millions of Muslims around the world are celebrating and commemorating the grand anniversary of the birth of the Holy Prophet of Islam and Messenger of Allah (swt), Muhammad ibn abd-Allah ibn abd al-Muttalib, peace be upon him. These days are some of the most important in the Islamic calendar as they mark the birth of guidance, the birth of mercy, the birth of manners, and the birth of the man chosen to carry the greatest blessing that brings light to our lives and hearts – the message of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad’s birth anniversary is a chance for us to thank Allah (swt) for choosing the best of His creation to be our leader and to renew our oath to follow in the Prophet’s footsteps and put Islam at the centre of our lives. 

The following are 10 hadiths narrated by the Holy Prophet, they are priceless pieces of advice that will change the way we live our lives if heeded:

 مامن جرعة أحب الى الله من جرعة غيظ كظمها رجل أو جرعة صبر على مصيبة

There’s no deed a man could do to please Allah (swt) better than suppressing anger and having patience during difficulties

Many of us will justify a slip of the tongue or an angry outburst as being the consequence of difficulties we are facing. On the contrary, there is no excuse for bad manners – suppressing your anger and showing patience is the sign of a good Muslim and are highly rewardable deeds by Allah (swt)!

 أحب الاعمال الى الله ماداوم العبد عليه وإن قل

The deeds that Allah loves most are those that are done consistently, even if they are not many

Consistency is key in order to achieve success – it doesn’t matter how many good habits you are trying to get into if you can’t stick to them in the long-term!

سأل أحدهم الرسول: هل للجنة من ثمن قال (ص): نعم؛ لا إله الا الله يقولها العبد مخلصا بها

A man asked the Prophet: Is there a price for Jannah? The Prophet said: Yes, the price of Jannah is bearing witness that there is no god but Allah, and saying it with sincerity

We must have not only external belief, but also internal, sincere faith in Allah (swt) that truly shapes our actions and the way we live our lives.

 لا فقر أشد من الجهل

Ignorance is the highest degree of poverty

The one who has money, only has money. However, the one who has knowledge has the wealth that will give him success in this world and the next!

أربع من كنّ فيه كمل إسلامه: الصدق والشكر والحياء وحسن الخلق 

There are four attributes that make man’s deen complete: Being truthful, being thankful, being modest and having excellent manners

What is the formula that makes the perfect Muslim? This hadith is the answer.

 آفة الحديث الكذب

Lying is the most evil of speech

Big lies or small lies – all lies cause irreparable damage to people and to society, so we must avoid it at all costs. 

 الدين المعاملة

Religion is how well you treat others 

The purpose of religion is to create human beings who treat people well and contribute to a successful, flourishing society. Individualism and only caring about the self is not what Islam is all about. Treating others well and giving them their rights is the core of Islam.

 خيركم خيركم لأهله

The best of you are those who treat their families in the best way

This hadith is so simple, yet so powerful. We may have ambitions to change the world, yet we forget about those closest to us. The Prophet wants to remind us not to neglect our families – in fact, being good to them is the basis on which our status is determined! It is commonly said that the Prophet was referring to the kind treatment of the wife in this hadith – how many people are following his advice in this day and age? 

صديق كل امرئ عقله وعدوّه جهله

Ignorance is the enemy of man and intelligence and knowledge are his true friend

Keep yourself as distant as possible from ignorance – it will only let you down and cause you endless difficulties. On the flip side, any knowledge you have will support you no matter what situation you are in. Never make ignorance your friend as it is your worst enemy!

كفى بالموت واعظا

Death is the most powerful of preachers

Death is one of the only non-controversial, undeniable and undisputed matters in this world. Everyone believes in death, and it is this aspect that makes it such a powerful teacher to all of mankind. Death is a reminder of the finite nature of this world and always serves as a wake-up call to us that gets us back on track when we forget the bigger picture of life.