English translation
2863. Al-Ḥārīḥ Al-Ash'arī narrated that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: "Indeed Allāh commanded Yahyā bin Zakariyyā with five commandments to abide by, and to command the Children of Isrā'īl to abide by them. But he was slow in doing so. So 'Eisā said: 'Indeed Allāh commanded you with five commandments to abide by and to command the Children of Isrā'īl to abide by. Either you command them, or I shall command them.' So Yahyā said: 'I fear that if you precede me in this, then the earth may swallow me, or I shall be punished.' So he gathered the people in Jerusalem, and they filled [the Masjid] and sat upon its balconies. So he said: 'Indeed Allāh has commanded me with five commandments to abide by, and to command you to abide by. The first of them is that you worship Allāh and not associate anything with Him. The parable of the one who associates others with Allāh is that of a man who buys a servant with his own gold or silver, then he says to him: "This is my home and this is my business so take care of it and give me the profits." So he takes care of it and gives the profits to someone other than his master. Which of you would like to have a servant like that? And Allāh commands you to perform Salāt, and when you perform Salāt then do not turn away, for Allāh is facing the face of His worshippers as long as he does not turn away. And He commands you with fasting. For indeed the parable of fasting, is that of a man in a group with a satchet containing musk. All of them enjoy its fragrance. Indeed the breath of the fasting person is more pleasant to Allāh than the scent of musk. And He commands you to give charity. The parable of that, is a man captured by his enemies, tying his hands to his neck, and they come to him to beat his neck. Then he said: "I can ransom myself from you with a little or a lot" so he ransoms himself from them. And He commands you to remember Allāh. For indeed the parable of that, is a man whose enemy quickly tracks him until he reaches an impermeable fortress in which he protects himself from them. This is how the worshipper is; he does not protect himself from Ash-Shaitān except by the remembrance of Allāh.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “And I command you with five that Allāh commanded me: Listening and obeying, Jihād, Hijrah, and the Jamā’ah. For indeed whoever parts from the Jamā’ah the measure of a hand-span, then he has cast off the yoke of Islam from his neck, unless he returns. And whoever calls with the call of Jāhiliyyah then he is from the coals of Hell.” A man said: “O Messenger of Allāh! Even if he performs Ṣalāt and fasts?” So he (ﷺ) said: “Even if he performs Ṣalāt and fasts. So call with the call that Allāh named you with: Muslims, believers, worshippers of Allāh.” (Sahīh) [Abū ‘Īsā said:] This Ḥadīth is Hasan Ṣahīh Gharīb. Muḥammad bin Ismā‘īl said: “Al-Ḥārīth Al-Ash‘arī (a narrator in the chain) was a Companion and there are Aḥādīth other than this from him.”