Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, appeared before the public one day when a man came to him and said, “O Messenger of Allah, what is faith?” The Prophet said, “Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His meeting, His messengers, and to believe in the resurrection in the Hereafter.” He said, “O Messenger of Allah, what is Islam?” The Prophet said, “Islam is to worship Allah alone without associating anything with Him, to establish the prescribed prayer, to give obligatory charity, and to fast the month of Ramadan.” He said, “What is excellence?” The Prophet said, “Excellence is to worship Allah as if you see Him. Verily, He sees you although you do not see Him.” He said, “When is the Hour?” The Prophet said, “The one who is asked does not know more than the one asking. Rather, I will relate to you some of its signs: when the slave girl gives birth to her master is among its signs, when the naked and barefooted will become chiefs of the people is among its signs, when the shepherds of black camels will exult themselves in constructing building is among its signs. Concerning the fifth sign, none knows it but Allah.” Then the Prophet recited, “Verily, Allah alone has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Verily, Allah is knowing and aware.” (31:34) Then the man turned away and left. The Prophet said, “Bring him back to me,” but they went to bring him back and found nothing. The Prophet said, “He was Gabriel who came to teach the people their religion.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 50, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 9
