How should we understand the hadiths with a few probabilities?

- The Prophet (pbuh) praises a person who brings up three daughters. Then, the Companions ask whether the same thing will be valid for a person who brings up two daughters and one daughter. I have heard a few more hadiths like that. I do not remember the topic now.

- Similarly, when the Prophet (pbuh) says, "A person who does this will be rewarded like this", the Companions say, "O Messenger of Allah! Will it be valid for a person who does that?" Will you write about those hadiths and interpret them?

Dear Brother / Sister,

One of the narrations of the hadith in question is as follows:

According to what is reported from Hz. Jabir, the Prophet said,

“If a person has three daughters, hugs and loves them (in another narration, marries them off), Paradise will definitely be wajib for him.” Somebody said,

“O Messenger of Allah! What if one has two daughters?” He answered as follows: “He will receive the same thawab if he has two.”

Some people who were there thought due to this attitude of the Prophet that if somebody had said, “What if one has one daughter?”, he would have given the same answer.” This narration of Ahmad b. Hanbal is “hasan”. (see Haythami, Majmauz-Zawaid, h. no.13491)

It is stated in Tabarani’s narration that he was asked “What if one has one daughter?” and that he gave the same answer. (see ibid, h. no: 13498)

Thus, those who have three daughters can enter Paradise if they act in compliance with the conditions mentioned in the hadith. In addition, those who have two daughters or one daughter can enter Paradise in some cases. This door is open for them too. What matters is not the number but bringing them up in compliance with the conditions. The increase in the number will increase the thawab, reward and the rank in Paradise.  

It is not possible to write all of the hadiths regarding the issue. However, we will try to write two or three hadiths as examples.

a) Abud-Darda narrates:

“The Messenger of Allah said, ‘He who says, ‘There is no god but Allah; He is one; He has no partners’ will go to Paradise.' I said,

'O Messenger of Allah! Even if he commits fornication and steals?'  He said,

'Yes, even if he commits fornication and steals.' I asked again,

'O Messenger of Allah! Even if he commits fornication and steals?' He gave the same answer:

'Yes, even if he commits fornication and steals.' I asked again, (for the third time):

'O Messenger of Allah! Even if he commits fornication and steals?'  He said,

'Yes, – even if Abud-Darda’s nose is rubbed in the dust – even if he commits fornication and steals.' 

As soon as I heard it, I went to out to tell people about it. I met Hz. Umar on the way. He said to me.

'Go back! If people learn it, they will not do righteous deeds by relying on it.'  I went back and told the Messenger of Allah about it.

'Umar told the truth.'" (see Majmauz-Zawaid, 1/16)

The importance of belief is emphasized here. If a person who dies as a believer goes to Hell due to his sins, he will exit Hell and go to Paradise in the end. It is wrong to understand from this hadith that sinful believers will never go to Paradise. As Ibn Hajar also states, there are verses and hadiths stating that many sinful Muslims will go to Hell.

Thus, the meaning of this hadith does not mean a person who says there is no god but Allah "will never go to Hell"; it means he will not remain there forever. (see Ibn Hajar, Fathul-Bari, 3/62)

b) Abu Hurayra narrates: The Messenger of Allah said,

“Renew your belief.” 

Somebody asked, “O Messenger of Allah! How can we renew our belief?” Thereupon, he said,

“Say La ilahe illallah a lot.” (Zawaid,1/52)

What is meant by the hadith above is not the utterance of “La ilaha illallah” repeatedly by heart. The real aim is to learn the meaning of tawhid (oneness) and to repeat its reality. That is, it is necessary to search the words and the meaning together and to repeat.  

c) Amr b. Anbasa narrates:

A man asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What is Islam?” He answered:

“Islam means to be a Muslim in the heart.”

The man asked, “What is belief?”

“Belief means to believe in Allah, His angels, His books and resurrection after death.”

The man asked, “What belief (deed based on belief) is more virtuous?” The Messenger of Allah answered:

“To migrate.”

The man asked, “What is migration?” He answered,

 “To migrate from / keep away from bad deeds.”

Then, the man asked, “What migration is more virtuous?” The Prophet said,

“To make jihad”

The man asked, “What is jihad?” The Prophet (pbuh) answered:

“To fight the unbelievers when you meet them.”

When the man asked, “What jihad is more virtuous?”, the Messenger of Allah gave the following answer:  

“If the legs of the horse of a person are cut in the battlefield and if his blood is shed, his jihad is more virtuous.” (Zawaid, 1/59)

We do not think there is something ambiguous in this hadith.

The meanings of basic concepts of Islam like “Islam, belief, migration and jihad” are asked in the hadith and they are answered briefly.

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