Disclaimer: the gradings below follow named scholars of hadith. These sayings must NOT be attributed to the Prophet ﷺ. Please verify with people of knowledge before relying on or conveying anything here.
Da'if (Weak)
اطْلُبُوا الْعِلْمَ وَلَوْ بِالصِّينِ
Seek knowledge even if it be in China.
Why it is weak: Its chains of transmission are severely defective; several routes were listed by hadith critics as fabricated.
Graded by: Declared weak by al-Bayhaqi, Ibn al-Jawzi, Ibn Hibban and al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 416).
Authentic alternative: In our corpus Sunan Ibn Majah 224, which carries the short clause "Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim", is graded Very Da'if by al-Albani, Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi and Shuaib al-Arnaut, and Da'if by Zubair Ali Zai. Whether the short clause is established through other routes is awaiting scholar review; no authentic alternative is cited here until then. Mawdu' (Fabricated)
حُبُّ الْوَطَنِ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ
Love of one's homeland is part of faith.
Why it is weak: It has no chain of transmission whatsoever and is not the speech of the Prophet ﷺ.
Graded by: As-Saghani and as-Sakhawi stated it has no basis; al-Albani declared it fabricated (Silsilah Da'ifah 36).
Authentic alternative: No authentic substitute; natural attachment to one's land is permissible but is not a hadith.
Munkar
أَنَا مَدِينَةُ الْعِلْمِ وَعَلِيٌّ بَابُهَا
I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate.
Why it is weak: Its chains are rejected by leading critics; many counted it among fabrications. The virtue of Ali (RA) is established by other sound texts.
Graded by: Al-Bukhari and Abu Hatim rejected it; Ibn al-Jawzi listed it among fabrications; al-Albani graded it da'if (Silsilah Da'ifah 2955).
Authentic alternative: Ali's rank is affirmed at Khaybar: "I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger" (Bukhari 3701, Muslim 2406). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ فَقَدْ عَرَفَ رَبَّهُ
Whoever knows himself has known his Lord.
Why it is weak: It is not established as the speech of the Prophet ﷺ and has no authentic chain; it is a saying attributed by some, not a hadith.
Graded by: An-Nawawi and Ibn Taymiyyah said it is not the speech of the Prophet; as-Suyuti and al-Albani affirmed it has no authentic chain.
Authentic alternative: Knowing Allah is achieved through reflection on His signs and revelation, not via this attributed wording.
Da'if (Weak)
اخْتِلَافُ أُمَّتِي رَحْمَةٌ
The difference (of opinion) of my Ummah is a mercy.
Why it is weak: It has no sound, weak, or even fabricated chain that scholars could locate; effectively baseless.
Graded by: Al-Subki said he found no chain for it; al-Albani declared it without basis (Silsilah Da'ifah 11).
Authentic alternative: The Qur'an Majeed praises unity: "And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided" (Qur'an 3:103). Da'if (Weak)
الْجَنَّةُ تَحْتَ أَقْدَامِ الْأُمَّهَاتِ
Paradise lies beneath the feet of mothers.
Why it is weak: This exact popular wording rests on weak chains; the noble meaning of honouring mothers is itself sound and established elsewhere.
Graded by: Al-Albani graded the common chains of this wording weak.
Authentic alternative: A man sought permission for jihad; the Prophet said "Stay with her, for Paradise is beneath her feet" (Sunan an-Nasa'i 3104, hasan); and "Your mother, then your mother..." (Bukhari 5971). Da'if (Weak)
طَلَبُ الْحَلَالِ فَرِيضَةٌ بَعْدَ الْفَرِيضَةِ
Seeking the lawful (earning) is an obligation after the (other) obligations.
Why it is weak: Its chains contain weak narrators, so it cannot be attributed to the Prophet ﷺ, though lawful earning is itself praised.
Graded by: Graded weak by al-Bayhaqi and al-Albani due to weak narrators in its chains.
Authentic alternative: "No one ever eats better food than what he eats from the work of his own hands" (Bukhari 2072). Da'if (Weak)
نَحْنُ قَوْمٌ لَا نَأْكُلُ حَتَّى نَجُوعَ، وَإِذَا أَكَلْنَا لَا نَشْبَعُ
We are a people who do not eat until we are hungry, and when we eat we do not eat to fullness.
Why it is weak: It has no established chain as a marfu' (Prophetic) hadith; it is not authentically attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.
Graded by: Declared without authentic basis by Ibn Hajar and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: "The son of Adam fills no vessel worse than his stomach... a third for food, a third for drink, a third for breath" (Tirmidhi 2380, hasan). Da'if (Weak)
حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا رَأْسُ كُلِّ خَطِيئَةٍ
Love of the world is the root of every sin.
Why it is weak: As a marfu' hadith its chains are weak; al-Bayhaqi narrated it as the saying of Jesus or of the pious, not as a Prophetic hadith.
Graded by: Al-Albani graded its marfu' chains weak (Silsilah Da'ifah 1099).
Authentic alternative: "By Allah, it is not poverty I fear for you, but I fear that the world will be spread before you as it was before those before you" (Bukhari 3158, Muslim 2961). Da'if (Weak)
إِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِعَبْدٍ خَيْرًا عَجَّلَ لَهُ الْعُقُوبَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا
(Popular short wording) "If Allah loves a servant, He hastens his punishment in this world..." — used out of context.
Why it is weak: The commonly circulated short wording is weak; only a longer, authentic version exists with a fuller meaning.
Graded by: Verified by al-Albani; the short circulated form is da'if.
Authentic alternative: "When Allah wills good for His servant, He hastens the punishment in this world; when He wills ill, He withholds it until He requites him fully on Resurrection Day" (Tirmidhi 2396, hasan). Da'if (Weak)
تَفَكَّرُوا فِي خَلْقِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تَفَكَّرُوا فِي اللَّهِ
Reflect on the creation of Allah and do not reflect on Allah (Himself).
Why it is weak: As a marfu' hadith its chains are weak, though the meaning is sound and reported from some of the Salaf.
Graded by: Its chains are weak per Abu Nu'aym and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The meaning is supported by the Qur'an: "Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth... are signs for those of understanding" (Qur'an 3:190). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
خَيْرُ الْأَسْمَاءِ مَا حُمِّدَ وَعُبِّدَ
The best of names are those that contain praise (Hamd) and servitude ('Abd).
Why it is weak: It has no authentic chain and was declared baseless; the genuine guidance on names is established elsewhere.
Graded by: Declared without basis by al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 411).
Authentic alternative: "The most beloved of your names to Allah are 'Abdullah and 'Abd ar-Rahman" (Sahih Muslim 2132). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
الْفَقْرُ فَخْرِي وَبِهِ أَفْتَخِرُ
Poverty is my pride, and by it I take pride.
Why it is weak: It has no chain of transmission and contradicts the Prophet ﷺ seeking refuge from poverty; declared a fabrication.
Graded by: As-Saghani and Ibn Taymiyyah declared it fabricated; al-Albani affirmed it is baseless.
Authentic alternative: The Prophet ﷺ sought refuge from poverty: "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty" (Sunan Abi Dawud 1544, hasan). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ عَمِلَ بِمَا عَلِمَ أَوْرَثَهُ اللَّهُ عِلْمَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ
Whoever acts upon what he knows, Allah grants him knowledge of what he did not know.
Why it is weak: It is not established as a Prophetic hadith and has no authentic chain; reported only as a saying of some, not as marfu'.
Graded by: Declared baseless as a hadith by Ibn Taymiyyah and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The virtue of acting on knowledge is sound: "Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those given knowledge, by degrees" (Qur'an 58:11). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
لَوْلَاكَ لَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْأَفْلَاكَ
Were it not for you (O Muhammad), I would not have created the heavens (the spheres).
Why it is weak: It has no chain of transmission and is not found in any of the hadith books; it was fabricated and is contradicted by the Qur'an Majeed, which states creation was for the worship of Allah.
Graded by: Declared fabricated by as-Saghani, ash-Shawkani and al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 282).
Authentic alternative: The Prophet's ﷺ honour is established by sound texts; the purpose of creation is in the Qur'an: "I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me" (Qur'an 51:56). Da'if (Weak)
كُنْتُ نَبِيًّا وَآدَمُ بَيْنَ الْمَاءِ وَالطِّينِ
I was a Prophet while Adam was between water and clay.
Why it is weak: This exact wording is weak; the famous "between water and clay" phrasing has no sound chain, though a sounder version with different wording exists.
Graded by: Al-Albani graded the "water and clay" wording weak (Silsilah Da'ifah 1856).
Authentic alternative: The companion asked when he was made a Prophet; he ﷺ said: "When Adam was between soul and body" (Tirmidhi 3609, declared sahih); the meaning of his prior decree is thus established. Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ بَشَّرَنِي بِخُرُوجِ آذَارَ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ
Whoever brings me glad tidings of the coming of (the month of) March, for him is Paradise.
Why it is weak: A plain fabrication with no chain; the Prophet ﷺ did not promise Paradise for announcing a month.
Graded by: Listed among fabrications by as-Suyuti and Ibn al-Jawzi; declared baseless by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: No authentic substitute; Paradise is attained through faith and righteous deeds (Qur'an 2:25). Da'if (Weak)
النَّظَافَةُ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ
Cleanliness is part of faith.
Why it is weak: This exact popular wording "an-nazafatu min al-iman" has no sound chain; people often confuse it with the sound hadith on purity (tahur), which uses different words.
Graded by: Scholars note the popular wording is without basis; al-Albani indicated it is not established with these words.
Authentic alternative: "Purity (tuhur) is half of faith" (Sahih Muslim 223). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
"A poor person in a strange land is like a martyr" (and similar wordings).
Why it is weak: No authentic chain; counted among fabrications used to console travellers.
Graded by: Listed by Ibn al-Jawzi among fabrications; declared baseless by later critics.
Authentic alternative: Martyrdom categories are fixed by sound texts, e.g. one who dies of plague, drowning, or a stomach ailment (Bukhari 2829, Muslim 1914). Da'if (Weak)
إِذَا جَاءَكُمْ كَرِيمُ قَوْمٍ فَأَكْرِمُوهُ
When the noble of a people comes to you, honour him.
Why it is weak: Its chains contain weak and abandoned narrators, so it is not soundly attributed to the Prophet ﷺ, though honouring guests is itself praiseworthy.
Graded by: Graded weak by al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 1418).
Authentic alternative: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him honour his guest" (Bukhari 6018, Muslim 47). Da'if (Weak)
حُسْنُ الظَّنِّ مِنْ حُسْنِ الْعِبَادَةِ
Thinking well (of others) is part of good worship.
Why it is weak: Its chain is weak; the sound meaning relates to thinking well of Allah, established by other texts.
Graded by: Graded weak by Abu Dawud and al-Albani (Da'if Abi Dawud 4993).
Authentic alternative: "Allah says: I am as My servant thinks of Me" (Bukhari 7405, Muslim 2675). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ كَثُرَتْ صَلَاتُهُ بِاللَّيْلِ حَسُنَ وَجْهُهُ بِالنَّهَارِ
Whoever prays much at night, his face becomes beautiful by day.
Why it is weak: It has no authentic chain and is counted among fabrications; the reward of night prayer is established in sound texts without this claim.
Graded by: Declared fabricated/baseless by Ibn al-Jawzi and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: No sound alternative is cited here. (The often-quoted "Observe the night prayer, for it was the way of the righteous before you" — Tirmidhi 3549 — is graded Da'if by al-Albani in our corpus.) Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيَّ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ ثَمَانِينَ مَرَّةً غُفِرَتْ لَهُ ذُنُوبُ ثَمَانِينَ عَامًا
Whoever sends 80 blessings upon me on Friday, 80 years of sins are forgiven.
Why it is weak: A fabricated narration with a specific number and reward that has no authentic basis; such fixed-count promises are a hallmark of fabrication.
Graded by: Declared without basis by al-Albani and other critics.
Authentic alternative: Sending blessings on Friday is virtuous in general: "Increase in sending blessings upon me on Friday" (Sunan Abi Dawud 1047, sahih) — without a fixed count/reward. Mawdu' (Fabricated)
الْعِلْمُ عِلْمَانِ: عِلْمُ الْأَدْيَانِ وَعِلْمُ الْأَبْدَانِ
Knowledge is of two kinds: the knowledge of religions and the knowledge of bodies (medicine).
Why it is weak: It has no chain and is not the speech of the Prophet ﷺ; it is a later saying, fabricated as a hadith.
Graded by: Declared without basis by ash-Shawkani and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: No authentic substitute; beneficial knowledge is praised generally in the Sunnah.
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ عَشِقَ فَعَفَّ فَكَتَمَ فَمَاتَ، مَاتَ شَهِيدًا
Whoever falls in love, remains chaste, conceals it, and dies — dies a martyr.
Why it is weak: Its chains are extremely weak/fabricated and contradict the principles of martyrdom in the Sharia.
Graded by: Declared fabricated by Ibn al-Qayyim and al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 408).
Authentic alternative: Categories of martyrdom are fixed by sound hadith (Bukhari 2829, Muslim 1914); this is not among them. Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ أَكَلَ مَعَ مَغْفُورٍ لَهُ غُفِرَ لَهُ
Whoever eats with one who has been forgiven is (himself) forgiven.
Why it is weak: A baseless fabrication with no chain; forgiveness is not transmitted by sharing a meal.
Graded by: Listed among fabrications by hadith critics; declared baseless by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: No authentic substitute; forgiveness comes through sincere repentance and Allah's mercy (Qur'an 39:53). Da'if (Weak)
أَطْعِمُوا طَعَامَكُمُ الْأَتْقِيَاءَ، وَأَوْلُوا مَعْرُوفَكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Feed your food only to the pious, and bestow your favours only upon the believers.
Why it is weak: Its chain is weak; it also seemingly conflicts with the broad encouragement to feed all in need, including non-Muslims.
Graded by: Graded weak by al-Albani (Da'if al-Jami').
Authentic alternative: "They give food, despite love for it, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive" (Qur'an 76:8) — feeding all in need is praised. Da'if (Weak)
مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرِي وَجَبَتْ لَهُ شَفَاعَتِي
Whoever visits my grave, my intercession becomes obligatory for him.
Why it is weak: All its chains are weak and some critics declared the wording fabricated; visiting the Prophet's ﷺ Mosque is virtuous on its own established grounds.
Graded by: Graded weak by al-Bayhaqi and al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 47).
Authentic alternative: "Do not undertake a journey except to three mosques..." including the Prophet's Mosque (Bukhari 1189, Muslim 1397). Da'if (Weak)
لَا صَلَاةَ لِجَارِ الْمَسْجِدِ إِلَّا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ
There is no prayer for the neighbour of the mosque except in the mosque.
Why it is weak: Its chains are weak; the strong encouragement of congregational prayer is established without this specific wording.
Graded by: Graded weak by ad-Daraqutni and al-Albani (Irwa' al-Ghalil 487).
Authentic alternative: "Whoever hears the call and does not come, there is no prayer for him except for an excuse" (Ibn Majah 793, sahih per al-Albani). Da'if (Weak)
صُومُوا تَصِحُّوا
Fast and you will be healthy.
Why it is weak: Its chain is weak; the spiritual virtues of fasting are firmly established by sound texts even though this health-wording is weak.
Graded by: Graded weak by al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 253).
Authentic alternative: "Whoever fasts a day for Allah's sake, Allah will distance his face from the Fire by seventy years" (Bukhari 2840, Muslim 1153). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
اُطْلُبُوا الْعِلْمَ مِنَ الْمَهْدِ إِلَى اللَّحْدِ
"Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave."
Why it is weak: It has no chain in the books of Sunnah and is not the speech of the Prophet ﷺ; a fabricated saying widely quoted.
Graded by: Declared baseless/fabricated by as-Sakhawi and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: In our corpus Sunan Ibn Majah 224, which carries the short clause "Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim", is graded Very Da'if by al-Albani, Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi and Shuaib al-Arnaut, and Da'if by Zubair Ali Zai. Whether the short clause is established through other routes is awaiting scholar review; no authentic alternative is cited here until then. Da'if (Weak)
تَهَادَوْا تَحَابُّوا
Give gifts to one another and you will love one another.
Why it is weak: This specific marfu' wording has a weak chain; the meaning is good but it is graded weak as a Prophetic hadith with these exact words.
Graded by: Graded weak by al-Albani (Da'if al-Jami' 2495); some grade it hasan through supports — caution advised.
Authentic alternative: Mutual love is encouraged: "By Him in whose Hand is my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I tell you of something that will make you love one another? Spread the salam among you" (Sahih Muslim 54). Da'if (Weak)
خَيْرُ الْأُمُورِ أَوْسَطُهَا
The best of affairs is the middle (moderate) one.
Why it is weak: As a marfu' Prophetic hadith its chains are weak/disconnected; it is well known as a saying of the Salaf rather than an authentic hadith.
Graded by: Graded weak as marfu' by al-Albani; known as athar from the Salaf.
Authentic alternative: Moderation is established: "This religion is easy... so adopt moderation" (Bukhari 39). Da'if (Weak)
"Marriage is half of religion" (in the common over-broad wording).
Why it is weak: The widely-quoted "nikah is half of deen" wording is weak; only a differently worded sound hadith about completing half of faith exists.
Graded by: The popular wording is weak per al-Albani; the sound version uses different words.
Authentic alternative: "When a servant marries, he has completed half of the religion, so let him fear Allah regarding the other half" (al-Bayhaqi, Shu'ab al-Iman; graded hasan by al-Albani, Sahih al-Targhib 1916).
Da'if (Weak)
اعْمَلْ لِدُنْيَاكَ كَأَنَّكَ تَعِيشُ أَبَدًا، وَاعْمَلْ لِآخِرَتِكَ كَأَنَّكَ تَمُوتُ غَدًا
Work for your worldly life as if you will live forever, and work for your Hereafter as if you will die tomorrow.
Why it is weak: It is not soundly attributed to the Prophet ﷺ; reported as a saying of 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr / others, with weak chains as a hadith.
Graded by: Graded weak as marfu' by Ibn al-Jawzi and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: "Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a wayfarer" (Bukhari 6416). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
أَنَا أَفْصَحُ الْعَرَبِ بَيْدَ أَنِّي مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ
I am the most eloquent of the Arabs, however I am from Quraysh.
Why it is weak: It has no authentic chain and was declared a fabrication; its wording was criticised by the scholars of language and hadith.
Graded by: Declared fabricated by Ibn Kathir, as-Sakhawi and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The Prophet's ﷺ eloquence is a recognised reality, but this specific narration is not authentic.
Da'if (Weak)
رَجَعْنَا مِنَ الْجِهَادِ الْأَصْغَرِ إِلَى الْجِهَادِ الْأَكْبَرِ
We have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad (the struggle against the self).
Why it is weak: Its chain is weak/disconnected and the wording contradicts the great status the Qur'an Majeed and Sunnah give to military jihad in Allah's cause.
Graded by: Al-Bayhaqi noted its chain is weak; Ibn Taymiyyah and al-Albani declared it weak/baseless (Silsilah Da'ifah 2460).
Authentic alternative: Striving against the self is praised: "The (true) mujahid is one who strives against his own self in obedience to Allah" (Tirmidhi 1621, sahih per al-Albani). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مِدَادُ الْعُلَمَاءِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ دِمَاءِ الشُّهَدَاءِ
The ink of the scholars is weightier (better) than the blood of the martyrs.
Why it is weak: It has no authentic chain and was counted among fabrications; it wrongly elevates a saying over the rank of martyrdom established in sound texts.
Graded by: Declared baseless/fabricated by as-Sakhawi (al-Maqasid al-Hasana) and al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 4832).
Authentic alternative: The virtue of scholars is real without this wording: "The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like my superiority over the least of you" (Tirmidhi 2685, hasan sahih). Da'if (Weak)
اعْبُدِ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ
"Worship Allah as if you see Him" — as quoted in isolation/misattributed wordings.
Why it is weak: Several independently circulated short/standalone wordings of this advice carry weak chains; only the wording within the famous Hadith of Jibril is sound.
Graded by: Al-Albani graded several standalone wordings of this counsel weak (Da'if al-Jami').
Authentic alternative: The sound wording is in the Hadith of Jibril: "Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and though you do not see Him, He sees you" (Bukhari 50, Muslim 8). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ صَلَّى لَيْلَةَ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ مِائَةَ رَكْعَةٍ ...
Whoever prays 100 rak'ahs on the night of mid-Sha'ban (the "Salat al-Alfiyyah")...
Why it is weak: The specific "100 rak'ah, 1000 Ikhlas" mid-Sha'ban prayer is a fabrication with no basis; scholars warned it was invented later.
Graded by: Declared fabricated by Ibn al-Jawzi (al-Mawdu'at), an-Nawawi and al-'Iraqi.
Authentic alternative: No authentic substitute for this specific ritual; general night prayer is praised (Muslim 1163), but no fixed mid-Sha'ban form is established. Mawdu' (Fabricated)
فِي رَجَبَ صَلَاةُ الرَّغَائِبِ ...
The "Salat ar-Ragha'ib" performed on the first Friday night of Rajab.
Why it is weak: A well-documented fabrication; the narration prescribing this Rajab prayer has a forged chain and the scholars unanimously rejected it as an innovation.
Graded by: Declared fabricated by Ibn al-Jawzi, an-Nawawi, Ibn Taymiyyah and al-'Izz ibn 'Abd as-Salam.
Authentic alternative: No authentic substitute; no specific prayer is established for Rajab. General virtue of sacred months is in the Qur'an Majeed (9:36). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
رَجَبُ شَهْرُ اللَّهِ، وَشَعْبَانُ شَهْرِي، وَرَمَضَانُ شَهْرُ أُمَّتِي
Rajab is the month of Allah, Sha'ban is my month, and Ramadan is the month of my Ummah.
Why it is weak: It has a fabricated chain containing accused liars and is counted among invented narrations promoting Rajab.
Graded by: Declared fabricated by Ibn Hajar (Tabyin al-'Ajab) and al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 4400).
Authentic alternative: No authentic substitute; the Prophet ﷺ fasted most in Sha'ban (Bukhari 1969, Muslim 1156), but the "month of Allah" wording above is fabricated. Da'if (Weak)
أَوَّلُ رَمَضَانَ رَحْمَةٌ، وَأَوْسَطُهُ مَغْفِرَةٌ، وَآخِرُهُ عِتْقٌ مِنَ النَّارِ
The first (ten days) of Ramadan are mercy, its middle is forgiveness, and its last is freedom from the Fire.
Why it is weak: Its chain contains a narrator (Sallam ibn Sawwar / 'Ali ibn Zayd) graded very weak; the famous "three ashras" division rests on this weak report.
Graded by: Graded da'if jiddan by al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 1569) and Ibn Khuzaymah noted it cannot be relied upon.
Authentic alternative: Ramadan's general virtue is sound: "When Ramadan enters, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained" (Bukhari 1899, Muslim 1079). Da'if (Weak)
مَنْ قَرَأَ سُورَةَ الْوَاقِعَةِ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ لَمْ تُصِبْهُ فَاقَةٌ أَبَدًا
Whoever recites Surah al-Waqi'ah every night will never be afflicted by poverty.
Why it is weak: Its chain is weak (containing Abu Shuja' and Shuja' who are unknown/weak); the specific "never be poor" reward is not soundly established.
Graded by: Graded weak by al-Bayhaqi, Ibn al-Jawzi ('Ilal) and al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 290).
Authentic alternative: Reciting the Qur'an Majeed is virtuous generally: "Recite the Qur'an Majeed, for it will come as an intercessor for its companions on the Day of Resurrection" (Sahih Muslim 804) — without this specific worldly promise. Da'if (Weak)
لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَلْبٌ وَقَلْبُ الْقُرْآنِ يس
Everything has a heart, and the heart of the Qur'an Majeed is Ya-Sin.
Why it is weak: Its chain is weak (Harun Abu Muhammad is unknown and Muqatil is criticised); the popular virtues of Surah Ya-Sin largely rest on this weak report.
Graded by: Graded weak by at-Tirmidhi (gharib), ad-Daraqutni and al-Albani (Da'if al-Jami' 4632).
Authentic alternative: General virtue of the Qur'an Majeed is sound; e.g. al-Fatihah is "the greatest surah in the Qur'an Majeed" (Bukhari 4474) — established without weak fada'il reports. Da'if (Weak)
إِنَّ لِلَّهِ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ اسْمًا ... سَرَدَ الْأَسْمَاءَ
The narration that lists the 99 Names of Allah one by one (the enumerated list in at-Tirmidhi).
Why it is weak: The principle of 99 Names is in Sahih al-Bukhari/Muslim, but the specific enumerated LIST is a weak insertion by a narrator (al-Walid ibn Muslim), not part of the Prophetic text.
Graded by: Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Hajar and al-Albani stated the enumerated list is a mudraj (inserted) weak addition, not marfu'.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "Allah has ninety-nine names; whoever enumerates (memorizes/acts on) them enters Paradise" (Bukhari 2736, Muslim 2677) — without the specific list. Mawdu' (Fabricated)
"The disagreement of my Companions is a mercy for you."
Why it is weak: It has no chain whatsoever and is a fabrication akin to the "difference of my Ummah is mercy" saying; rejected by the critics.
Graded by: Declared without basis by Ibn Hazm and al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 58).
Authentic alternative: The Companions are honoured by sound texts: "The best of people are my generation, then those who follow them..." (Bukhari 2652, Muslim 2533). Da'if Jiddan (Very Weak)
طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ وَوَاضِعُ الْعِلْمِ عِنْدَ غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ كَمُقَلِّدِ الْخَنَازِيرِ الْجَوْهَرَ وَاللُّؤْلُؤَ وَالذَّهَبَ
"Talab al-ilm (seeking knowledge) is an obligation; and placing knowledge with the unqualified..." — in its weak circulated chain.
Why it is weak: The long appended wording ("...and placing knowledge with other than its people is like adorning swine with jewels") circulates with a very weak chain, distinct from the sound short obligation text.
Graded by: Graded da'if jiddan by Ibn Majah's commentators and al-Albani (Da'if Ibn Majah 224 — long wording).
Authentic alternative: In our corpus Sunan Ibn Majah 224, which carries the short clause "Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim", is graded Very Da'if by al-Albani, Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi and Shuaib al-Arnaut, and Da'if by Zubair Ali Zai. Whether the short clause is established through other routes is awaiting scholar review; no authentic alternative is cited here until then. Mawdu' (Fabricated)
النَّاسُ نِيَامٌ فَإِذَا مَاتُوا انْتَبَهُوا
People are asleep, and when they die they wake up.
Why it is weak: It is not the speech of the Prophet ﷺ and has no chain as a hadith; it is a saying attributed to 'Ali (RA) or the Sufis, fabricated when raised as marfu'.
Graded by: Declared not a hadith by as-Sakhawi (al-Maqasid al-Hasana) and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: No authentic substitute; the reality of death and the Hereafter is affirmed throughout the Qur'an Majeed (e.g. 50:22). Da'if (Weak)
اخْشَوْشِنُوا فَإِنَّ النِّعَمَ لَا تَدُومُ
Live a rough (austere) life, for blessings do not last.
Why it is weak: Its marfu' chain is weak; it is better known as a statement of 'Umar (RA), not an authentically established Prophetic hadith.
Graded by: Graded weak as marfu' by al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 6/2 area; Da'if al-Jami').
Authentic alternative: Simplicity is praised soundly: "Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a wayfarer" (Bukhari 6416). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ عَرَفَ اللَّهَ كَلَّ لِسَانُهُ
Whoever (truly) knows Allah, his tongue becomes mute (he falls silent).
Why it is weak: It has no chain and is not the speech of the Prophet ﷺ; a saying circulated in some circles and wrongly raised as a hadith.
Graded by: Declared not a hadith / baseless by as-Sakhawi and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The truest knowers of Allah spoke and called to Him: "And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah..." (Qur'an 41:33). Munkar
لَا تَسُبُّوا الدَّهْرَ فَإِنَّ الدَّهْرَ هُوَ اللَّهُ
"Do not curse Time, for Time is Allah" — in this misquoted/mis-vowelled wording.
Why it is weak: This mis-vowelled reading ("ad-dahru huwa Allah") conveys a false meaning; the sound narration means Allah is the One who controls time, not that Time is Allah.
Graded by: Scholars including al-Bukhari's commentators and Ibn Taymiyyah corrected the meaning; the misquoted form is rejected (munkar) in meaning.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "Allah says: The son of Adam offends Me by cursing Time, for I am Time (i.e. its disposer); in My Hand is the affair, I alternate its night and day" (Bukhari 4826, Muslim 2246). Da'if (Weak)
مَنْ حَفِظَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي أَرْبَعِينَ حَدِيثًا ... بُعِثَ فَقِيهًا عَالِمًا
Whoever preserves for my Ummah forty hadiths... will be raised a jurist and a scholar (and: I will be an intercessor for him).
Why it is weak: Though very famous (and the basis of "Forty Hadith" collections), all its many chains are weak; an-Nawawi himself conceded its chain is weak.
Graded by: An-Nawawi (intro to al-Arba'in), ad-Daraqutni and al-Albani graded all its routes weak.
Authentic alternative: Conveying knowledge is praised soundly: "May Allah brighten a man who hears something from us and conveys it as he heard it" (Tirmidhi 2657, hasan). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
حُبُّ الْهِرَّةِ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ
Love of the cat is part of faith.
Why it is weak: It has no chain of transmission and is not the speech of the Prophet ﷺ; it was fabricated in imitation of the equally baseless "love of homeland" saying.
Graded by: Declared without basis (la asla lahu) by al-Albani and the verifiers of fabricated sayings.
Authentic alternative: Kindness to animals is rewarded: "A man was forgiven because he gave water to a thirsty dog" (Bukhari 173); cats are not impure (Tirmidhi 92, sahih) — but the above wording is fabricated. Da'if (Weak)
(Often misquoted longer wording promising specific reward) — the popular embellished forms.
Why it is weak: Embellished circulating forms add weak chains; only the concise wording is authentic, without the added promises.
Graded by: Al-Albani noted the added wordings are weak; the short text alone is sahih.
Authentic alternative: The sound concise text: "It is enough lying for a man to narrate everything he hears" (Sahih Muslim, intro; cf. Abu Dawud 4992, sahih). Da'if (Weak)
"Eat breakfast to be strong for worship, and eat suhur for fasting..." — fabricated diet-virtue wordings.
Why it is weak: Specific "eat X for strength in worship" diet narrations circulate with weak chains; only the suhur and general eating texts are sound.
Graded by: Al-Albani graded such specific diet-reward wordings weak (Da'if al-Jami').
Authentic alternative: "Take suhur, for in suhur there is blessing" (Bukhari 1923, Muslim 1095). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ قَالَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِنْ كُلِّ كَلِمَةٍ طَيْرًا ...
Whoever says "La ilaha illa Allah," Allah creates from each word a bird... (with specific fabricated rewards).
Why it is weak: A fabrication with fanciful imagery and no chain; the immense virtue of tahlil is established without such inventions.
Graded by: Declared fabricated by Ibn al-Jawzi (al-Mawdu'at) and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: "Whoever says 'La ilaha illa Allah, alone with no partner...' a hundred times a day has a reward equal to freeing ten slaves" (Bukhari 3293, Muslim 2691). Da'if (Weak)
سَيِّدُ الْقَوْمِ خَادِمُهُمْ
The master of a people is the one who serves them.
Why it is weak: This famous marfu' wording has a weak chain; the meaning is noble but it is not soundly attributed to the Prophet ﷺ with these words.
Graded by: Graded weak by al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 1502); known better as a saying of the Salaf.
Authentic alternative: Humble service is praised soundly: "Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to be in the service of his family" (Bukhari 6039); and "The leader of a people is their servant" meaning is supported by his example. Da'if (Weak)
الْعَجَلَةُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ وَالتَّأَنِّي مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ
Haste is from Satan and deliberateness is from the Most Merciful.
Why it is weak: Its chain is weak; though the meaning is good, it is not soundly established as a Prophetic hadith with this exact wording.
Graded by: Graded weak by al-Albani (Da'if al-Jami' 3614).
Authentic alternative: Deliberateness is praised soundly: the Prophet ﷺ told Ashajj 'Abd al-Qays, "You have two qualities Allah loves: forbearance and deliberateness" (Sahih Muslim 17). Da'if (Weak)
اتَّقُوا فِرَاسَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِ فَإِنَّهُ يَنْظُرُ بِنُورِ اللَّهِ
Beware the insight (firasah) of the believer, for he sees by the light of Allah.
Why it is weak: All its chains are weak; it is widely quoted but not soundly attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.
Graded by: Graded weak by at-Tirmidhi (gharib) and al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 1821).
Authentic alternative: The general idea is supported: "In their (the believers') faces are signs from the effect of prostration" (Qur'an 48:29); but the firasah wording above is weak. Da'if (Weak)
مَنْ عَيَّرَ أَخَاهُ بِذَنْبٍ لَمْ يَمُتْ حَتَّى يَعْمَلَهُ
Whoever reproaches his brother for a sin will not die until he commits it (himself).
Why it is weak: Its chain is weak (containing Khalid ibn Ma'dan disconnected from Mu'adh); a popular warning whose chain does not reach soundness.
Graded by: Graded weak by at-Tirmidhi and al-Albani (Da'if al-Jami' 5710).
Authentic alternative: Avoiding ridicule is commanded soundly: "O you who believe, let not a people ridicule another people..." (Qur'an 49:11). Da'if (Weak)
"This world is the prison of the believer and the paradise of the disbeliever" — quoted as unconditional, but understood correctly it is sound.
Why it is weak: Listed here because of a frequently-circulated extended fabricated wording; the short authentic text is sound, but appended embellishments are weak.
Graded by: The short text is sahih (Muslim); appended additions graded weak by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "The world is the prison of the believer and the paradise of the disbeliever" (Sahih Muslim 2956). Da'if (Weak)
إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَمِيلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ ... (بزيادات)
Embellished "Allah is beautiful..." wordings promising specific worldly rewards for adornment.
Why it is weak: The short authentic hadith on Allah loving beauty is sound; circulated extensions promising fixed rewards for finery are weak.
Graded by: The core text is sahih (Muslim); the appended reward-wordings graded weak by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "Allah is beautiful and loves beauty; pride is rejecting the truth and looking down on people" (Sahih Muslim 91). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ صَامَ رَجَبَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ
Whoever fasts (the whole of) Rajab out of faith and seeking reward will be forgiven.
Why it is weak: No authentic narration specifies a reward for fasting Rajab specifically; such reports are fabricated to glorify the month.
Graded by: Ibn Hajar (Tabyin al-'Ajab) stated no sound hadith establishes a special virtue for fasting Rajab; al-Albani concurred.
Authentic alternative: Fasting in the sacred months generally is good, and "the best fasting after Ramadan is in the month of Allah, Muharram" (Sahih Muslim 1163) — Rajab has no special established fast. Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ زَارَ وَالِدَيْهِ فِي قَبْرَيْهِمَا كُلَّ جُمُعَةٍ غُفِرَ لَهُ وَكُتِبَ بَرًّا
Whoever visits his parents' graves every Friday is forgiven and recorded as dutiful.
Why it is weak: A fabricated narration with a weak/forged chain offering a fixed Friday reward; grave-visiting reward of this exact form is not established.
Graded by: Declared fabricated/baseless by al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 49).
Authentic alternative: Visiting graves for remembrance is sound: "Visit graves, for they remind you of the Hereafter" (Sahih Muslim 976) — without a fixed Friday reward. Da'if (Weak)
إِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِعَبْدٍ خَيْرًا فَقَّهَهُ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَلْهَمَهُ رُشْدَهُ
(Extended fabricated tail) "...and made the world small in his eyes and showed him his faults" appended to the sound "fiqh" hadith.
Why it is weak: The first clause ("grants understanding of religion") is sahih; the commonly appended additions circulate with weak chains.
Graded by: Al-Albani affirmed the core is sahih and the added tails are weak.
Authentic alternative: The sound core: "When Allah wills good for someone, He grants him understanding (fiqh) of the religion" (Bukhari 71, Muslim 1037). Da'if (Weak)
الْبَيْتُ الَّذِي لَا قُرْآنَ فِيهِ كَالْقَبْرِ ... (بزيادة)
Fabricated extended virtues attached to "the house in which the Qur'an Majeed is recited..." promising fixed numbers of angels.
Why it is weak: The general distinction between a house where Qur'an Majeed is recited and one where it is not has a sound basis; but fixed-number embellishments circulate with weak chains.
Graded by: Al-Albani graded the numbered embellishments weak; the core comparison is sound.
Authentic alternative: "The likeness of a house in which Allah is remembered and one in which He is not is that of the living and the dead" (Bukhari 6407, Muslim 779). Da'if (Weak)
إِنَّ مِنَ الْبَيَانِ لَسِحْرًا وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ جَهْلًا ... (بزيادة موضوعة)
Embellished forms of "Indeed some eloquence is magic..." with added fabricated clauses.
Why it is weak: The short text is sound; the popular extended versions add clauses with weak chains.
Graded by: The core is sahih (Bukhari); the appended clauses graded weak by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "Indeed some eloquence is (like) magic" (Bukhari 5767). Da'if (Weak)
الْمُسْتَشَارُ مُؤْتَمَنٌ ... (بزيادة)
Extended fabricated wordings appended to "the one consulted is entrusted (with trust)."
Why it is weak: The short phrase is established (hasan); longer circulated forms add weak material.
Graded by: Al-Albani graded the short text hasan (Sahih al-Jami') and the extensions weak.
Authentic alternative: The sound short text: "The one whose counsel is sought is entrusted" (Abu Dawud 5128, Tirmidhi 2822 — hasan per al-Albani). Da'if (Weak)
مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ ... (يُحتج به محرَّفًا)
(Misused fabricated extensions) of "whoever imitates a people is one of them," adding invented rulings.
Why it is weak: The base hadith is hasan; but extended forms with extra invented clauses circulate weakly and should not be attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.
Graded by: Al-Albani graded the base hasan sahih (Irwa' al-Ghalil 1269); embellishments are weak.
Authentic alternative: The sound base text: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them" (Abu Dawud 4031, hasan sahih). Da'if (Weak)
الْمَرْءُ عَلَى دِينِ خَلِيلِهِ ... (بزيادة)
Embellished extended wordings of "a man is upon the religion of his close friend."
Why it is weak: The short text is hasan; popular extensions that add specific consequences circulate with weak chains.
Graded by: Al-Albani graded the core hasan (Sahih al-Jami'); the additions weak.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "A man is upon the religion of his close friend, so let each of you look to whom he befriends" (Abu Dawud 4833, Tirmidhi 2378 — hasan). Da'if (Weak)
مَنْ غَشَّنَا فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا ... (بزيادة موضوعة في الوعيد)
Fabricated severe-punishment extensions appended to "whoever deceives us is not of us."
Why it is weak: The base hadith is sahih in Muslim; specific added threats of fixed worldly punishments circulate with weak chains.
Graded by: The base is sahih (Muslim); the appended threats graded weak by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "Whoever deceives is not of us" (Sahih Muslim 102). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
تَخَلَّقُوا بِأَخْلَاقِ اللَّهِ
Take on / be characterised by the character traits of Allah.
Why it is weak: It has no chain and is not the speech of the Prophet ﷺ; it is a saying circulated by some, theologically problematic in its literal form.
Graded by: Declared without basis (la asla lahu) by Ibn Taymiyyah and al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The sound directive is to acquire noble character: "I was sent only to perfect noble character" (al-Bukhari, al-Adab al-Mufrad 273, sahih per al-Albani).
Da'if (Weak)
حَدِّثُوا النَّاسَ بِمَا يَعْرِفُونَ، أَتُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يُكَذَّبَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
(Note: the first clause is sound; circulated longer fabricated wordings are not.)
Why it is weak: The short narration from 'Ali is sound (Bukhari); extended versions that add conditions circulate with weak chains.
Graded by: The short text is sahih (Bukhari); the added wordings graded weak by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "Speak to people according to what they understand. Do you wish that Allah and His Messenger be belied?" (Sahih al-Bukhari 127). Da'if (Weak)
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ ... (بزيادة موضوعة)
Fabricated extensions appended to "Allah does not look at your forms..." adding invented specifics.
Why it is weak: The base is sahih in Muslim; popular forms that append fixed claims about wealth/lineage rewards are weak.
Graded by: The base is sahih (Muslim); the appended specifics graded weak by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "Allah does not look at your bodies or your forms, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds" (Sahih Muslim 2564). Da'if (Weak)
مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ ... (بزيادة في الأجر)
Embellished reward-additions appended to "let him honour his guest" / "speak good or be silent."
Why it is weak: The base triad is sahih; circulated versions that attach fixed numerical rewards to each clause are weak.
Graded by: The base is sahih (Bukhari/Muslim); the numerical reward extensions graded weak by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent... let him honour his guest" (Bukhari 6018, Muslim 47). Da'if (Weak)
أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي ... (بزيادة موضوعة)
Fabricated extensions promising fixed worldly outcomes appended to "I am as My servant thinks of Me."
Why it is weak: The base qudsi hadith is sahih; appended forms promising guaranteed worldly results circulate with weak chains.
Graded by: The base is sahih (Bukhari/Muslim); the appended promises graded weak by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "Allah says: I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me" (Bukhari 7405, Muslim 2675). Da'if (Weak)
مَنْ لَمْ يَهْتَمَّ بِأَمْرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَلَيْسَ مِنْهُمْ
Whoever does not concern himself with the affairs of the Muslims is not one of them.
Why it is weak: Its chains are weak (containing unknown narrators); a popular maxim but not soundly attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.
Graded by: Graded weak by al-Albani (Da'if al-Jami' 5594).
Authentic alternative: Mutual care among believers is sound: "The believers in their mutual mercy, love and compassion are like one body" (Bukhari 6011, Muslim 2586). Da'if (Weak)
النَّدَمُ تَوْبَةٌ
Regret (remorse) is repentance.
Why it is weak: This concise marfu' wording has a weak chain in its common routes; the meaning is sound but the exact attribution is questioned.
Graded by: Graded weak in its marfu' form by al-Albani (some authenticate it through supports — caution advised).
Authentic alternative: Repentance is established soundly: "Allah accepts the repentance of His servant as long as the soul has not reached the throat" (Tirmidhi 3537, hasan). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
مَنْ مَاتَ غَرِيبًا مَاتَ شَهِيدًا
Whoever dies as a stranger (in a foreign land) dies a martyr.
Why it is weak: A fabrication with no sound chain; martyrdom categories are fixed in authentic texts and do not include mere death abroad.
Graded by: Declared fabricated/baseless by Ibn al-Jawzi and al-Albani (Silsilah Da'ifah 1314).
Authentic alternative: Martyrdom categories are fixed: "The martyrs are five: the one who dies of plague, of a stomach ailment, by drowning, under a collapsing wall, and the martyr in Allah's cause" (Bukhari 2829, Muslim 1914). Da'if (Weak)
الْكَلِمَةُ الطَّيِّبَةُ صَدَقَةٌ ... (بزيادة موضوعة في العدد)
Numbered-reward fabrications appended to "a good word is charity."
Why it is weak: The base is sahih; extended forms attaching fixed numerical charity-rewards per word are weak.
Graded by: The base is sahih (Bukhari/Muslim); the numbered extensions graded weak by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "Every good word is charity" (Bukhari 2989, Muslim 1009). Da'if (Weak)
الْقَنَاعَةُ كَنْزٌ لَا يَفْنَى
Contentment is a treasure that never depletes.
Why it is weak: As a marfu' Prophetic hadith its chain is weak; it is well known as a wise saying rather than an authentic hadith.
Graded by: Graded weak as marfu' by al-Albani (Da'if al-Jami').
Authentic alternative: Contentment is praised soundly: "Richness is not in abundance of goods, but richness is the richness of the soul" (Bukhari 6446, Muslim 1051). Da'if (Weak)
مَنْ أَحَبَّ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ ... (بزيادة موضوعة)
Fabricated extensions appended to "whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him."
Why it is weak: The base is sahih; circulated versions adding fixed conditions/rewards about the moment of death are weak.
Graded by: The base is sahih (Bukhari/Muslim); appended material graded weak by al-Albani.
Authentic alternative: The sound text: "Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him; whoever hates to meet Allah, Allah hates to meet him" (Bukhari 6507, Muslim 2683). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
اطلبوا العلم من المهد إلى اللحد
Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.
Why it is weak: Has no chain of narration in the hadith corpus; a popular saying with no basis as a Prophetic hadith.
Graded by: No isnad (la asla lahu); noted baseless by the hadith scholars
Da'if (Weak)
طلب العلم فريضة على كل مسلم ومسلمة
Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim man AND every Muslim woman.
Why it is weak: The addition "wa muslimah" (and every Muslim woman) is not established; chains carrying this wording are weak, though the base wording without it is authenticated.
Graded by: The addition graded weak; the base (without it) classed sahih by al-Albani
Authentic alternative: Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim (Ibn Majah 224). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
من علمني حرفا صرت له عبدا
Whoever teaches me a single letter, I become his slave.
Why it is weak: Not a hadith of the Prophet; it has no chain and is wrongly circulated as Prophetic speech.
Graded by: No basis (la asla lahu)
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
النظر في وجه العالم عبادة
Looking at the face of a scholar is an act of worship.
Why it is weak: Fabricated; its chains carry liars/abandoned narrators and it has no sound basis.
Graded by: Listed among fabrications by Ibn al-Jawzi; baseless per al-Ajluni (Kashf al-Khafa)
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
تفكر ساعة خير من عبادة سبعين سنة
An hour's reflection is better than seventy years of worship.
Why it is weak: No authentic chain; circulated with varying numbers (sixty/seventy years) and graded baseless/fabricated.
Graded by: Declared baseless by al-'Iraqi and al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah)
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
العالم بين الجهال كالحي بين الأموات
The scholar among the ignorant is like the living among the dead.
Why it is weak: Fabricated; no sound chain establishes it as a Prophetic saying.
Graded by: Baseless per al-Ajluni (Kashf al-Khafa); fabricated per al-Albani
Da'if (Weak)
خير الأمور أوساطها
The best of affairs are those in moderation (the middle ones).
Why it is weak: Widely quoted as a hadith but its marfu' chains are weak/broken; better known as a saying of the early scholars.
Graded by: Marfu' chains graded weak; noted by al-Albani and others
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
لكل شيء عروس وعروس القرآن سورة الرحمن
Everything has a bride, and the bride of the Qur'an is Surah al-Rahman.
Why it is weak: Fabricated; its chain contains a forger and it has no sound basis.
Graded by: Declared fabricated by al-Bayhaqi; baseless per al-Albani
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
رجب شهر الله وشعبان شهري ورمضان شهر أمتي
Rajab is the month of Allah, Sha'ban is my month, and Ramadan is the month of my Ummah.
Why it is weak: Fabricated; its chain contains a known liar/forger (al-Naqqash) and the critics rejected it outright.
Graded by: Declared fabricated by Ibn al-Jawzi (al-Mawdu'at), al-Sakhawi, and al-Shawkani
Da'if (Weak)
اللهم بارك لنا في رجب وشعبان وبلغنا رمضان
O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Sha'ban and let us reach Ramadan.
Why it is weak: Its chain has Zaidah ibn Abi al-Ruqad from Ziyad al-Numayri, both criticised; the chain is weak (munkar).
Graded by: Graded weak by al-Albani; al-Bukhari said Zaidah is munkar al-hadith
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
من صام يوما من رجب كان كصيام سنة
Whoever fasts one day of Rajab, it is like fasting a year (and the multi-day Rajab fasting virtues).
Why it is weak: The narrations singling out Rajab fasting with specific rewards are fabricated; nothing authentic specifies Rajab fasting virtues.
Graded by: Ibn Hajar (Tabyin al-'Ajab): no authentic hadith on Rajab's fasting; fabricated per al-Shawkani & Ibn al-Jawzi
Authentic alternative: Whoever fasts a day for Allah's sake, Allah distances his face from the Fire seventy years (Bukhari 2840, Muslim 1153). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
صلاة الرغائب في أول جمعة من رجب
Salat al-Ragha'ib — a special prayer on the first Friday night of Rajab.
Why it is weak: A fabricated prayer with no basis; the hadith promoting it is forged, and the imams condemned this innovation.
Graded by: Declared a fabricated innovation by al-Nawawi, Ibn al-Jawzi (al-Mawdu'at), and al-'Izz ibn 'Abd al-Salam
Da'if Jiddan (Very Weak)
إذا كانت ليلة النصف من شعبان فقوموا ليلها وصوموا نهارها
When it is the night of mid-Sha'ban, stand in prayer that night and fast its day.
Why it is weak: Its chain contains Ibn Abi Sabrah, accused of fabricating hadith; the report is very weak.
Graded by: Graded very weak by al-Albani; narrator accused of forgery by Ahmad and Ibn Ma'in
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
صلاة ليلة النصف من شعبان مائة ركعة
The mid-Sha'ban night prayer of one hundred rak'ahs (Salat al-Alfiyyah).
Why it is weak: The specific 100-rak'ah mid-Sha'ban prayer is fabricated by consensus of the critics; the supporting reports are forged.
Graded by: Declared fabricated by al-Nawawi, Ibn al-Jawzi (al-Mawdu'at), and al-'Iraqi
Da'if Jiddan (Very Weak)
من صام يوم عاشوراء فكأنما صام الدهر كله
Whoever fasts the day of 'Ashura', it is as if he fasted all of time.
Why it is weak: This exaggerated "whole lifetime" wording is very weak; the authentic merit is expiation of the previous year only.
Graded by: The exaggerated wording graded very weak by al-Albani
Authentic alternative: Fasting 'Ashura' — I hope it expiates the year before it (Muslim 1162). Da'if (Weak)
من وسع على عياله يوم عاشوراء وسع الله عليه سائر سنته
Whoever is generous to his family on 'Ashura', Allah will be generous to him for the rest of the year.
Why it is weak: Its chains are weak and contradictory; early critics graded it weak, though some later scholars defended it via multiple routes.
Graded by: Graded weak by al-'Uqayli; Ibn Taymiyyah noted its chains are weak
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
الجمعة حج المساكين
Friday is the Hajj of the poor.
Why it is weak: Fabricated; no chain supports it and the critics rejected it.
Graded by: Baseless per al-Ajluni (Kashf al-Khafa); fabricated per al-Sakhawi
Munkar
كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يصوم رجبا كله
The Prophet used to fast the entire month of Rajab.
Why it is weak: Contradicts authentic reports; Ibn 'Umar and others denied the Prophet singled out Rajab for complete fasting.
Graded by: Munkar/contradicted; Ibn Hajar (Tabyin al-'Ajab) refuted singling out Rajab
Authentic alternative: I never saw him fast a complete month except Ramadan, and none more than in Sha'ban (Bukhari 1969, Muslim 1156). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
الصلاة في عمامة تعدل خمسا وعشرين صلاة بلا عمامة
A prayer with a turban equals twenty-five prayers without one (and a Friday with a turban equals seventy without).
Why it is weak: Declared fabricated; no authentic chain exists and the critics judged it forged.
Graded by: al-Suyuti and others: without basis; fabricated per al-Albani (al-Da'ifah)
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
ركعتان بعمامة خير من سبعين ركعة بغير عمامة
Two rak'ahs with a turban are better than seventy rak'ahs without one.
Why it is weak: A baseless fabrication on the virtue of the turban in prayer; no chain of any worth.
Graded by: al-Ajluni (Kashf al-Khafa): without basis; al-Albani (al-Da'ifah)
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
ركعتان من رجل متعطر أفضل من سبعين ركعة من غير متعطر
Two rak'ahs from a perfumed man are better than seventy rak'ahs from one not perfumed.
Why it is weak: A fabricated narration; baseless per the critics, of the same forged pattern as the turban report.
Graded by: al-Albani (al-Da'ifah); listed among fabrications
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
صلوا في نعالكم فإن فضل الصلاة في النعال على غيرها سبعون درجة
Pray in your shoes, for prayer in shoes exceeds otherwise by seventy degrees.
Why it is weak: The "seventy degrees" numbered wording is a fabrication; the authentic command merely permits praying in clean sandals.
Graded by: al-Albani (al-Da'ifah): the numbered version baseless/fabricated
Authentic alternative: Differ from the Jews, for they do not pray in their shoes nor their sandals (Abu Dawud 652, sahih). Da'if (Weak)
من صلى المغرب ثم صلى بعدها ست ركعات عدلت عبادة اثنتي عشرة سنة
Whoever prays six rak'ahs after Maghrib (Salat al-Awwabin) equals the worship of twelve years.
Why it is weak: Reported via Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah with weak chains; the "twelve years" wording is not authentically established.
Graded by: al-Albani (Da'if al-Tirmidhi)
Da'if (Weak)
من صلى علي يوم الجمعة ثمانين مرة غفرت له ذنوب ثمانين عاما
Whoever sends blessings upon me eighty times on Friday, eighty years of his sins are forgiven.
Why it is weak: The specific "eighty times / eighty years" Friday wording has a weak chain (al-Daraqutni); not established as authentic.
Graded by: al-Sakhawi (al-Qawl al-Badi') noted its weakness; weakened by al-Albani
Authentic alternative: Increase in sending blessings upon me on Friday, for your blessings are presented to me (Abu Dawud 1047, hasan). Da'if (Weak)
صلاة بسواك أفضل من سبعين صلاة بغير سواك
A prayer with siwak is better than seventy prayers without siwak.
Why it is weak: Reported via al-Bazzar and others with a weak chain, though the general virtue of siwak before prayer is authentic.
Graded by: al-Albani noted weakness in the "seventy" wording
Authentic alternative: Were it not a burden, I would have ordered the siwak at every prayer (Bukhari 887, Muslim 252). Da'if (Weak)
صلاة التسبيح من صلاها غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه وما تأخر
Whoever prays Salat al-Tasbih, all his past and future sins are forgiven.
Why it is weak: The reward-laden chains of Salat al-Tasbih are disputed; Ibn al-Jawzi listed it in al-Mawdu'at and Ahmad rejected it, though some (Ibn Hajar) graded a route hasan. The sweeping forgiveness wording is not firmly established.
Graded by: Ibn al-Jawzi (al-Mawdu'at); discussed and weakened by al-Albani
Da'if (Weak)
الوضوء على الوضوء نور على نور
Wudu upon wudu is light upon light.
Why it is weak: Very widely quoted but has no authentic chain; the muhaddithun declared it weak/without a reliable isnad.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah); al-'Iraqi noted no known sound chain
Da'if (Weak)
النظافة من الإيمان
Cleanliness is part of faith.
Why it is weak: This exact wording "al-nazafa min al-iman" has no established chain; commonly confused with the authentic "purity (al-tuhur) is half of faith".
Graded by: Discussed by al-Ajluni (Kashf al-Khafa) and al-Albani
Authentic alternative: Purity is half of faith (Sahih Muslim 223). Da'if (Weak)
يا أيها الناس قد أظلكم شهر عظيم... أوله رحمة وأوسطه مغفرة وآخره عتق من النار
O people, a great month has shadowed you... its first part is mercy, its middle forgiveness, its last freedom from the Fire (the long Ramadan sermon of Salman).
Why it is weak: In its chain is 'Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jud'an (weak); the narration is munkar, so the famous threefold division of Ramadan is not authentically established.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah); Ibn Jud'an weakened by Abu Hatim and others
Authentic alternative: Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his past sins are forgiven (Bukhari 38, Muslim 760). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
لو يعلم العباد ما في رمضان لتمنت أمتي أن يكون رمضان السنة كلها
If the servants knew what is in Ramadan, my Ummah would wish that Ramadan lasted the whole year.
Why it is weak: In its chain is Jarir ibn Ayyub al-Bajali, accused of fabricating hadith; the report is fabricated.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah); Ibn Khuzaymah noted Jarir as a fabricator
Authentic alternative: When Ramadan enters, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell closed (Bukhari 1899, Muslim 1079). Da'if (Weak)
صوموا تصحوا
Fast and you will be healthy.
Why it is weak: Via Nahshal ibn Sa'id (abandoned) from al-Dahhak who did not hear from Ibn Abbas; the chain is severely weak.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah); al-'Iraqi noted its weakness
Da'if (Weak)
نوم الصائم عبادة وصمته تسبيح
The sleep of the fasting person is worship, his silence glorification, his du'a answered and his deeds multiplied.
Why it is weak: In its chain is Ma'ruf ibn Hassan (weak) and Sulayman ibn 'Amr al-Nakha'i, accused of lying; the popular wording is very weak.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah); al-Bayhaqi indicated its weakness
Da'if (Weak)
لكل شيء زكاة وزكاة الجسد الصوم
For everything there is a zakat, and the zakat of the body is fasting.
Why it is weak: In its chain is Musa ibn 'Ubaydah al-Rabadhi (weak); the report is da'if/munkar.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah); Ibn Majah recorded it with this weak chain
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
من فرح بدخول رمضان حرم الله جسده على النيران
Whoever rejoices at the entry of Ramadan, Allah forbids his body to the Fire.
Why it is weak: No authentic isnad; declared baseless and treated as fabricated.
Graded by: No basis per the muhaddithin; circulated without isnad
Da'if (Weak)
الصائم في عبادة وإن كان نائما على فراشه
The fasting person is in worship even if he is asleep on his bed.
Why it is weak: A weak narration with a defective chain; popularly quoted to encourage excessive sleeping while fasting.
Graded by: al-Albani (Da'if al-Jami')
Da'if (Weak)
أعطيت أمتي في شهر رمضان خمسا لم يعطها نبي قبلي
My Ummah has been given five things in Ramadan no Prophet before me was given (incl. forgiveness on the LAST night rather than Laylat al-Qadr).
Why it is weak: In its chains are weak narrators; especially the clause "forgiven on the last night, not Laylat al-Qadr" is unestablished and the whole is weak.
Graded by: al-Albani (Da'if al-Targhib); recorded by Ahmad and al-Bazzar with weakness
Authentic alternative: The breath of the fasting person is better with Allah than the fragrance of musk (Bukhari 1894, Muslim 1151). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
حديث أبي بن كعب الطويل في فضائل سور القرآن سورة سورة
The long narration of Ubayy ibn Ka'b assigning a specific reward for reciting each and every surah of the Qur'an.
Why it is weak: A consensus-fabricated narration whose forger was named by the critics; the single most famous fabricated fada'il al-suwar chain, transmitted by al-Tha'labi and al-Zamakhshari.
Graded by: Ibn al-Jawzi (al-Mawdu'at); al-Suyuti; Ibn Hajar; al-Albani — all fabricated
Authentic alternative: Whoever recites a letter of Allah's Book has a good deed, tenfold (Tirmidhi 2910, sahih). Da'if (Weak)
من قرأ سورة الواقعة في كل ليلة لم تصبه فاقة أبدا
Whoever recites Surah al-Waqi'ah every night will never be afflicted by poverty.
Why it is weak: Its chain turns on Abu Shuja' and Shuja' ibn al-Walid / Abu Tayba with weakness and jahalah; al-Bayhaqi and others weakened it. Widely used as a wealth-wazifa.
Graded by: al-Bayhaqi; al-Albani (Da'if al-Jami')
Authentic alternative: Whoever fears Allah, He makes a way out for him and provides from where he expects not (Qur'an 65:2-3). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
يس لما قرئت له
Surah Ya-Sin is (effective) for whatever it is recited for.
Why it is weak: It has no isnad at all; the hadith masters said it has no basis (la asla lahu) and treat it as fabricated.
Graded by: al-Sakhawi (al-Maqasid al-Hasana); al-Ajluni (Kashf al-Khafa); al-Albani
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
يس قلب القرآن، من قرأها كتب الله له بقراءتها قراءة القرآن عشر مرات
Ya-Sin is the heart of the Qur'an; whoever reads it, Allah writes for him the reading of the Qur'an ten times.
Why it is weak: Revolves on Harun Abu Muhammad — a shaykh majhul whom al-Tirmidhi himself flagged — and Muqatil; the "ten Qur'ans" wording is judged fabricated/very weak.
Graded by: al-Albani (Da'if al-Tirmidhi); Ibn al-Jawzi inclined to its falsehood
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
من قرأ سورة الدخان في ليلة أصبح يستغفر له سبعون ألف ملك
Whoever recites Surah al-Dukhan in a night, seventy thousand angels seek forgiveness for him by morning.
Why it is weak: In its chain is 'Umar ibn Abi Khath'am (matruk/munkar) per al-Bukhari; the report is fabricated/very weak.
Graded by: al-Tirmidhi noted 'Umar as munkar al-hadith; al-Albani (Da'if al-Jami')
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
من قرأ سورة الفاتحة فكأنما قرأ التوراة والإنجيل والزبور والفرقان
Whoever recites Surah al-Fatiha, it is as if he recited the Torah, the Injil, the Zabur and the Furqan.
Why it is weak: Part of the fabricated fada'il al-suwar chain; no authentic basis.
Graded by: Ibn al-Jawzi (al-Mawdu'at); al-Suyuti
Authentic alternative: Al-Fatiha is the greatest surah in the Qur'an (Bukhari 4474). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
من قرأ سورة الأنعام جملة واحدة شيعه سبعون ألف ملك
Whoever recites Surah al-An'am in one go, seventy thousand angels escort him.
Why it is weak: In its chain are unknown/abandoned narrators; part of the fada'il al-suwar forgeries.
Graded by: Ibn al-Jawzi (al-Mawdu'at); al-Suyuti
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
دعاء عكاشة
The "Du'a of Ukkasha" chain-message — recite/forward it a number of times or misfortune befalls; blessings if you share it.
Why it is weak: A wholly fabricated chain-letter du'a with threats/rewards for forwarding; no basis in any hadith source. Spreading it is spreading a lie against the Prophet ﷺ.
Graded by: No basis (la asla lahu) — contemporary fatwa councils
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
من قال سبحان الله وبحمده مائة مرة... غفر له ولو قتل سبعين نبيا
Whoever says SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi a hundred times is forgiven even if he had killed seventy prophets.
Why it is weak: The "even if he killed seventy prophets" addition is a fabricated interpolation; the sound hadith only mentions sins wiped though they be like sea-foam.
Graded by: al-Albani noted the interpolation; base in al-Bukhari/Muslim
Authentic alternative: Whoever says SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi 100 times a day, his sins are wiped though like the foam of the sea (Bukhari 6405, Muslim 2691). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
كنت كنزا مخفيا فأحببت أن أعرف فخلقت الخلق
I was a hidden treasure and I loved to be known, so I created creation.
Why it is weak: Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Zarkashi and Ibn Hajar stated it is NOT a hadith and has no chain at all; a fabrication, not Prophetic speech.
Graded by: Ibn Taymiyyah; Ibn Hajar; al-Zarkashi
Da'if (Weak)
الأكل في السوق دناءة
Eating in the marketplace is lowliness.
Why it is weak: Reported by al-Tabarani and al-Bayhaqi with a weak chain (a criticised narrator); not reliably established as Prophetic.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah)
Da'if (Weak)
كثرة الأكل تورث القساوة
Eating much causes hardness of the heart.
Why it is weak: No established marfu' chain for this exact wording; it is a saying of the pious (athar), not a sahih Prophetic report.
Graded by: Not a sound marfu' hadith
Authentic alternative: No human fills a vessel worse than his stomach (Tirmidhi 2380, hasan). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
موت الغريب شهادة
Dying as a stranger (away from home) is martyrdom.
Why it is weak: Declared fabricated; its chain contains a forger. There is no authentic basis for counting mere death abroad as martyrdom.
Graded by: al-Sakhawi (al-Maqasid al-Hasana); al-Albani
Da'if (Weak)
من زار قبري وجبت له شفاعتي
Whoever visits my grave, my intercession becomes obligatory for him.
Why it is weak: All its chains are weak; the central narrator Musa ibn Hilal and others are criticised; al-Bayhaqi, Ibn Khuzaymah and al-Albani graded the versions weak (some very weak).
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah); al-Bayhaqi
Da'if Jiddan (Very Weak)
من حج فزار قبري بعد وفاتي كان كمن زارني في حياتي
Whoever performs Hajj and visits my grave after my death is like one who visited me in my life.
Why it is weak: al-Daraqutni and al-Bayhaqi narrated it; the chain has Hafs ibn Sulayman (abandoned). al-Dhahabi and al-Albani graded it very weak.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah); al-Dhahabi
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
سؤال منكر ونكير يكون بلسان سرياني
The questioning of Munkar and Nakir takes place in the Syriac language.
Why it is weak: No authentic text specifies the language of the grave-questioning; this added detail is baseless and has no isnad.
Graded by: No isnad; baseless (la asla lahu)
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
من زار قبر والديه في كل جمعة فقرأ عندهما يس غفر له بعدد كل آية
Whoever visits the grave of his parents every Friday and recites Ya-Sin there is forgiven by the number of every verse.
Why it is weak: Declared fabricated; its chain includes narrators accused of forgery. Ibn al-Jawzi listed it among fabrications.
Graded by: Ibn al-Jawzi (al-Mawdu'at); al-Suyuti
Authentic alternative: I had forbidden you to visit graves; now visit them (Muslim 977). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
المهدي من ولد العباس عمي
The Mahdi is from the descendants of al-Abbas, my uncle.
Why it is weak: A fabrication produced for Abbasid political legitimacy, contradicting the authentic reports that the Mahdi is from the offspring of Fatima.
Graded by: Ibn al-Qayyim (al-Manar al-Munif); al-Daraqutni
Authentic alternative: The Mahdi is from my family, from the offspring of Fatima (Abu Dawud 4284, sahih per al-Albani). Munkar
لا مهدي إلا عيسى ابن مريم
There is no Mahdi except Isa son of Maryam.
Why it is weak: Via Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Janadi (majhul/munkar al-hadith). The Mahdi hadith are authentic, so this negating report is weak/munkar and cannot override them.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah, munkar); al-Bayhaqi
Authentic alternative: The authentic Mahdi reports (Abu Dawud) plus the descent of Isa (Bukhari 3448). Da'if (Weak)
إذا رأيتم الرايات السود قد جاءت من قبل خراسان فأتوها فإن فيها خليفة الله المهدي
When you see the black banners coming from Khurasan, go to them, for among them is Allah's caliph the Mahdi.
Why it is weak: The Khurasan-banners reports turn on weak narrators (e.g. Rashidin ibn Sa'd, 'Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jud'an); the explicit "Mahdi/Allah's caliph" naming form is graded weak/fabricated.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah); Ibn al-Jawzi
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
علامة المهدي خال أسود في كفه وعلامة كالكوكب على خده
A sign of the Mahdi is a black mole on his palm and a star-like mark on his cheek.
Why it is weak: Detailed physical "mole/star-mark" identifiers for the Mahdi have no authentic isnad; among the late fabricated Mahdi descriptions Ibn al-Qayyim warned against.
Graded by: Ibn al-Qayyim (al-Manar al-Munif); baseless
Authentic alternative: The Mahdi is of me, with a broad forehead and prominent nose (Abu Dawud 4285, hasan — general description only). Da'if (Weak)
استنزلوا الرزق بالصدقة
Bring down provision by giving charity.
Why it is weak: Narrated by Abu al-Shaykh and al-Bayhaqi with a weak chain containing unknown/criticised narrators; its isnad does not reach acceptance.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah)
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
كنس البيت يجلب الرزق
Sweeping the house brings provision.
Why it is weak: No basis as a hadith; a fabricated/baseless folk saying attributed to the Prophet. No muhaddith records it with any chain.
Graded by: No basis (la asla lahu)
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
النوم على البطن يورث الفقر
Sleeping on the stomach causes poverty.
Why it is weak: The poverty link is baseless/fabricated. There IS a sound prohibition of lying on the belly, but the "causes poverty" addition has no basis.
Graded by: No basis for the poverty claim
Authentic alternative: It is a lying-down that Allah hates (Abu Dawud 5040, sahih). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
تختموا بالعقيق فإنه ينفي الفقر
Wear a ring of agate (aqeeq), for it dispels poverty.
Why it is weak: Ibn al-Jawzi placed it in al-Mawdu'at; al-Albani declared it fabricated. No sound hadith on agate dispelling poverty.
Graded by: Ibn al-Jawzi (al-Mawdu'at); al-Albani
Da'if (Weak)
صلة الرحم تزيد في العمر وتجلب الرزق
Maintaining kinship ties increases lifespan and brings provision (this exact combined wording).
Why it is weak: This combined wording is weak; HOWEVER the meaning is authentically established in al-Bukhari, so use the sound version below.
Graded by: Weak as this wording; the meaning is sahih
Authentic alternative: Whoever wishes his provision expanded and his life extended, let him keep his kinship ties (Bukhari 5986). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
عليكم بالباذنجان فإنه شفاء من كل داء
Take to the aubergine (eggplant), for it is a cure for every disease.
Why it is weak: Explicitly among fabricated hadith; Ibn al-Qayyim and others declared the "aubergine cures every disease" narration a lie against the Prophet; no chain.
Graded by: Ibn al-Qayyim; al-Saghani (mawdu')
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
الباذنجان لما أكل له
The aubergine is for whatever it is eaten for.
Why it is weak: A well-known fabrication; al-Ajluni (Kashf al-Khafa) notes it has no basis — a forged echo of the authentic Zamzam-water wording.
Graded by: al-Ajluni (Kashf al-Khafa)
Authentic alternative: Zamzam water is for whatever it is drunk for (Ibn Majah 3062, hasan). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
الهريسة تشد الظهر
Harisa (a meat-and-wheat dish) strengthens the back.
Why it is weak: A famous fabrication; al-Sakhawi (al-Maqasid) and al-Ajluni note the harisa narrations are forged with no basis as Prophetic speech.
Graded by: al-Sakhawi (al-Maqasid); al-Ajluni
Mawdu' (Fabricated)
الجبن داء والجوز دواء فإذا اجتمعا صارا شفاء
Cheese is a disease and the walnut a remedy; when combined they become a cure.
Why it is weak: A well-known fabrication noted by al-Sakhawi (al-Maqasid) and Ibn al-Qayyim; no isnad, a forged piece of folk medicine.
Graded by: al-Sakhawi (al-Maqasid); Ibn al-Qayyim
Da'if Jiddan (Very Weak)
ما من رمانة إلا وفيها حبة من رمان الجنة
There is no pomegranate but it contains a seed from the pomegranates of Paradise.
Why it is weak: A popular saying with a very weak chain; Ibn al-Jawzi and others noted its unreliability. Not authentically attributable to the Prophet.
Graded by: Ibn al-Jawzi; al-Albani
Da'if Jiddan (Very Weak)
لا تقطعوا اللحم بالسكين فإنه من صنيع الأعاجم
Do not cut meat with a knife, for that is the practice of the non-Arabs; tear it with the teeth.
Why it is weak: Abu Dawud indicated it is not strong; al-Albani graded it very weak/munkar. It also contradicts the sahih report of the Prophet cutting meat with a knife.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah)
Authentic alternative: He cut from the meat with a knife, then prayed without renewing wudu (Bukhari 5408). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
السواك يزيد الرجل فصاحة
The siwak increases a man's eloquence (and in some versions his wealth/memory).
Why it is weak: These expanded siwak-virtue lists (eloquence, wealth, memory) are fabricated; the authentic virtues are purification of the mouth and pleasing the Lord.
Graded by: Fabricated additions (Ibn al-Jawzi)
Authentic alternative: The siwak purifies the mouth and pleases the Lord (Nasa'i 5, sahih). Mawdu' (Fabricated)
من بشرني بخروج آذار فله الجنة
Whoever gives me glad tidings of the passing of (the month) Adhar, for him is Paradise.
Why it is weak: Listed among the fabrications; a forged narration with no basis attributing a month's end to Paradise.
Graded by: Ibn al-Jawzi; al-Suyuti
Da'if (Weak)
طلب الحلال جهاد
Seeking the lawful (earning) is jihad.
Why it is weak: Reported by al-Tabarani and al-Quda'i with a weak chain; al-Albani graded the popular wordings weak. Lawful earning is encouraged by other texts.
Graded by: al-Albani (Silsilah al-Da'ifah)
