The Number three in the Ahadith
Herewith such reports of the Prophet as use number three. A reason behind such a presentation is to dispel the idea that the Islamic source books are like those of any other religion. Followers of other religions could conduct a similar exercise with their own source books. The results will convince them that the Islamic sources could not have been but Divine.
1. On the authority of Anas b. Malik, the Prophet said, “A coffin is followed by three; two of them return but one remains: his (dead man’s) kinsfolk, wealth and deeds follow him (to the grave). His kinsfolk and wealth return while his deed remains.”
2. Abu Hurayrah reports the Prophet as having said, “The distance between the two shoulders of the unbeliever in the Fire will be the traveling distance of three days, going by a fast rider.”
3. Abu Hurayrah also reports that the Prophet said, “Not three of a man’s children die yet the man enters the Fire, except for the promise.” Abu `Abdullah added, (That is, Allah’s promise expressed in the Qur’an to the effect that), “And thereis none of you but he shall pass over it [i.e, over Helllfire]” (19: 71)
4. Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet, “The most hateful of men to Allah are three: a man who commits corruption in the Haram, he who sought in Islam the way of the pre-Islamic times, and he who sought to shed another’s blood without right.
5. ‘Abdul Rahman b. Abi Bakarah reports his father: We were with the Prophet when he said, “May I not inform you of the greatest of the Great sins? (He said it three times): Associating with Allah (partners), mistreating the parents, and false testimony.” (Or he said, “A false word”). And the Prophet was reclining. He sat upright and kept repeating until we wished he would stop.
6. Abu Dhar says, “I went up to the Prophet but found him sleeping wrapped in a white cloth. I went again and found him still sleeping. Then I went again and he had woken up. I sat down by his side. He said, “There is not a man who said, ‘There is no deity save Allah,’ and then died upon it but entered Paradise.” I asked, “Even if he committed adultery and theft?” He said, “Even if he committed adultery and theft.” I asked, “Even if he committed adultery and theft?” He said, “Even if he committed adultery and theft” – three times. The fourth time he added, “Even if Abu Dharr does not approve of it.” Abu Dharr left saying, “Even if Abu Dharr does not approve of it.”
Commentary
Note: Scholars have explained that the entry into Paradise of the sinners of above kinds, will be after they have initially been into Hellfire to cleanse their sins.
7. Abu Dharr reports the Prophet: “There are three with whom Allah will not speak on the Day of Standing, will not look at them and will not purify them, but form whom is a painful chastisement.” Abu Dharr says the Prophet repeated this three times. So he asked, “Defeated and lost are they; who are they, Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “He who let his trousers below his ankles, he who taunted (after helping off) and he who sold his merchandise on false oath.”
Commentary
Note: It has been pointed out by hadith scholars that the threat of punishment of those who let down their trousers below their ankles, is to those of them who do it out of pride, which was the fashion then. Further, any other wear of today, which smacks of pride, will, by default, come under the same threat.
8. On Abu Hurayrah’s authority, the Prophet said, “Three, when they appear, then, (at that time) no one’s faith will profit him, who had not had believed earlier, or had not earned good (deeds) in his faith: sunrise from the west, Dajjal, and the Animal from the earth.”
Commentary
Note: The appearance of any of these three will be an undeniable sign of Allah’s ability to do what He will. They will not be manifestations of His Power alone, but in fact, His own manifestation. There will be no room for disbelief. Therefore, any belief then expressed in Him will be of no worth. Only those that had believed in Him, though in the Unseen, through and through, and had been living in accordance with their belief, performing good deeds, whose faith and practice will profit them thereafter, just as before. But not of the new converts.
9. Abu Hurayrah also reports the Prophet, “When one of you wakes up from his sleep, let him cleanse his nose three times because Shaytan spends the night sitting in the nostrils.”
Commentary
Note: Shaytan feeds on filth and loves such spots.
10. Abu Hurayrah also reports that the Prophet told him, “When one of you wakes up, let him wash his hand three times before inserting it into a pitcher (of water), for he does not know where his hand spent the night.”
Commentary
Note: That is, he might have dirtied his hand during sleep by reaching out to dirty parts of the body.
