عن النواس بن سمعان الأنصاري، عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "ضرب الله مثلًا صراطًا مستقيمًا، وعلى جَنَبَتَي الصراط سوران، فيهما أبواب مفتحة، وعلى الأبواب ستور مرخاة، وعلى باب الصراط داع يقول: أيها الناس، ادخلوا الصراط جميعا، ولا تتعرجوا، وداع يدعو من فوق الصراط، فإذا أراد يفتح شيئا من تلك الأبواب، قال: ويحك لا تفتحه، فإنك إن تفتحه تلجه، والصراط الإسلام، والسوران: حدود الله، والأبواب المفتحة: محارم الله، وذلك الداعي على رأس الصراط: كتاب الله، والداعي من فوق الصراط: واعظ الله في قلب كل مسلم".
[صحيح] - [رواه الترمذي وأحمد]
المزيــد ...

An-Nawwās ibn Sam‘ān al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah has given a parable: a straight path that is surrounded by two walls on both sides, with several open doors within the walls covered with curtains. There is a caller on the gate of the path who says: 'O people, enter the path, all of you, and do not deviate from it.' Meanwhile, a caller from above the path is also warning any person who wants to open any of these doors: 'Woe unto you! Do not open it, for if you open it, you will pass through.' The path is Islam, the two walls are the limits set by Allah, and the open doors are Allah's prohibitions. The caller on the gate of the path is the Book of Allah, while the caller above the path is Allah's admonishment in the heart of every Muslim."
Sahih/Authentic. - [At-Tirmidhi]

Explanation

The Messenger of Allah said: Allah Almighty gave a parable about a straight path, which is a broad and easy way that leads one who follows it to the desired destination. This path has two walls on both sides covered with curtains. A curtain here figuratively refers to any barrier that separates one from what is forbidden, be it a religious commitment, a sense of honor, shyness, determination, or chastity. On the gate of the path there is a caller who says: O people, enter the path, all of you, and do not swerve or walk in a crooked way, as mentioned in other versions of the Hadīth. There is another caller above the path, calling out: If he - i.e., the one who walks on the path - wants to open any of these doors, woe to him. Woe is a word said to a person who faces possible ruin that he does not deserve. Do not open it, for if you open it, you will go through it. Thereafter, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) explained these parables. He said: The path is Islam, which is the straight way that leads to Paradise. The two walls are the limits laid down by Allah Almighty; that's the lawful and unlawful. The open doors are Allah's prohibitions. If a person swerves from this straight path and opens the separating door, Satan adorns to him the love for vain desires, and so he enters the door and is ruined. The caller at the gate of the path is the Book of Allah, i.e., the noble Qur'an, which commands what is right and forbids what is wrong and declares the good things lawful and the evil ones unlawful. Allah Almighty says: {This is My straight path; follow it and do not follow other ways, lest they lead you away from His way} [Surat al-An‘ām: 153]. The caller above the path is the sense of admonition Allah has put within the heart of every Muslim, the faith that deters them from engaging in destructive sins.

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Benefits from the Hadith

  1. Giving parables are to make the meaning clearer and easier to understand. This plays a key role in demonstrating abstract things in the form of concrete ones.
  2. Islam is superior to all other religions. It is the straight path that leads to Paradise.
  3. We should abide by the limits set by Allah and observe what He declared lawful and unlawful. Whoever takes these things lightly will be ruined.
  4. The Hadīth points out the great merit and significance of the Qur’an.
  5. It urges us to act upon the Qur’an, which yields guidance, light, and success.
  6. It is Allah's mercy toward His servants and the sense of admonition He has put within their hearts that prevent them from falling into ruinous sins.