Sahih Muslim — Hadith #7573

Zuhair ibn Harb narrated to me, saying: Jarir narrated to us, on the authority of 'Umarah (who was Ibn al-Qa'qa'), on the authority of Abu Zur'ah, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Ask me." But they were too afraid to ask him. Then a man came and sat at his knees. He said, "O Messenger of Allah, what is Islam?" He said, "It is to associate nothing with Allah, to establish prayer, and to pay zakat." And he fasts Ramadan.” He said, “You have spoken the truth.” He said, “O Messenger of Allah, what is faith?” He said, “It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Book, the meeting with Him, His messengers, to believe in the Resurrection, and to believe in predestination in its entirety.” He said, “You have spoken the truth.” He said, “O Messenger of Allah, what is excellence?” He said, “It is to fear Allah as if you see Him, for even if you do not see Him, He surely sees you.” He said, "You have spoken the truth." He said, "O Messenger of God, when will the Hour come?" He said, "The one questioned about it knows no more than the one asking. I will tell you about its signs: When you see a woman giving birth to her master, that is one of its signs. When you see barefoot, naked, deaf, and mute people becoming the kings of the earth, that is one of its signs. And when you see shepherds of sheep competing in..." The building, that is one of its signs, in five of the unseen things which none knows except God.” Then he recited: {Indeed, God [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Indeed, God is Knowing and Acquainted.} He said, then the man stood up, and the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: Bring him back to me. So they searched for him but did not find him. Then the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “This was Gabriel. He wanted you to learn since you did not ask.”