Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi: A Simple Guide to 42 Essential Hadith

What the Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi actually is

The Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi, known in Arabic as Al-Arba’in an-Nawawiyyah, is a compact collection of hadith on the foundations of the religion, put together by the great scholar Imam an-Nawawi. Each hadith is a report of the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ words, actions, or approvals, and the whole collection is short and self-contained, which is one reason it has been loved for so long.

What makes the Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi special is its selection. Imam an-Nawawi chose narrations that carry important principles of the religion in memorable words. Many are short and concise, the kind scholars call jawami’ al-kalim, few words that hold a world of meaning; a few, such as the hadith of Jibril on Islam, iman and ihsan, give a fuller account. Most of the collection’s hadith are found in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, the two canonical Sahih collections in Sunni Islam, and, as he notes in his introduction, Imam an-Nawawi removed the chains of narration to make them easier to memorise.

If the name puzzles you, you are not alone: the collection is called “forty” but actually contains 42 hadith. Collections of forty hadith were a well-established scholarly tradition, and Imam an-Nawawi’s work became one of the best known. The familiar title has stayed even though the collection holds two more narrations than its name suggests. So when people say the Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi, they are almost always talking about these 42 short, foundational texts.

Who was Imam an-Nawawi?

Imam an-Nawawi’s full name was Yahya ibn Sharaf an-Nawawi, and he is also known by the honorific Muhyi al-Din (“reviver of the religion”). He was born in the year 631 after the Hijrah (around 1233 CE) in the town of Nawa, in southern Syria, from which he takes his name. He followed the Shafi’i school of fiqh and became one of its leading scholars.

What is striking about Imam Nawawi is how much he achieved in a short life. He died young, at roughly 44 years of age, in 676 AH (1277 CE), yet he left behind some of the most widely read books in Islamic history. Alongside this Forty, he wrote Riyad as-Salihin (The Gardens of the Righteous), a celebrated commentary on Sahih Muslim, Al-Adhkar on daily remembrances, and major works of Shafi’i law. His works are still studied widely today.

He was also known for his simplicity and discipline. Reports describe him eating once a day, filling his hours with study and worship, and rarely accepting gifts. He was not afraid to counsel rulers toward justice when he felt it was needed. That blend of deep knowledge, sincerity, and plain living is one reason Muslims have trusted his selection for so many centuries.

Why this small collection matters so much

You could spend a lifetime reading hadith and never finish. The great collections contain thousands of narrations, which can feel overwhelming to a beginner who simply wants to know where to start. This is where the Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi earns its place. It is a doorway: a small, trustworthy set of texts that introduces the core of the faith without demanding years of prior study.

Scholars have long said that each of these hadith is like a pivot around which a large part of the religion turns. Taken together, they touch almost everything that matters: intention and sincerity, belief, the pillars of worship, lawful and unlawful, good character, brotherhood, repentance, and the vast mercy of Allah. Someone who absorbs these 42 hadith gains a working framework for much of what matters in Muslim belief, worship, and character.

There is also a long tradition behind it. For generations, the Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi has been an important early text for students of knowledge, introducing them to concise narrations about belief, worship, and character. Studying it links today’s learners to a work that has shaped Islamic education for many centuries, and it gives you a set of the Prophet’s ﷺ words that you can carry in your heart for the rest of your life.

Five hadith that show why it is loved

The best way to understand the Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi is to sit with a few of its hadith. Here are five of the most famous. Each box gives the core of the hadith in Arabic with its meaning; some of these narrations run longer in the original. Every text was checked against its source on Sunnah.com before publishing.

1. Actions are judged by intentions

Nawawi placed this hadith first on purpose. It teaches that the worth of any deed depends on why you did it. The same prayer, the same charity, the same journey can carry very different weight before Allah depending on the intention behind it. It sets the tone for the entire collection: Islam begins on the inside.

2. What is invented in the religion is rejected

This hadith protects the religion from being reshaped by every passing opinion. Worship is built on what the Prophet ﷺ taught, not on what we invent, however sincere it feels. It is a central reason Muslims care so much about following the authentic example of the Prophet ﷺ rather than good-sounding additions.

3. The lawful is clear, and so is the unlawful

The hadith goes on to teach that whoever avoids the doubtful matters guards their religion and honour, and it ends with a line about the heart: when the heart is sound, the whole body is sound. It is a practical rule for daily life and a cornerstone of understanding halal and haram in Islam.

4. Love for your brother what you love for yourself

Here faith is measured by how you treat others. Wanting the same good for your brother that you want for yourself is not just good manners; the hadith makes it a mark of real belief. In practice it means being glad for someone else’s success instead of envious of it, and wishing people the ease you hope for yourself.

5. Changing what is wrong

This hadith gives a realistic ladder of responsibility. Not everyone has the power to stop a wrong directly, so the Prophet ﷺ taught degrees: act if you can, speak if you cannot, and at the very least let your heart reject it. Scholars note that changing a wrong “with the hand” belongs to those with the ability and authority to do so, so correcting one wrong never causes a greater one. It asks for courage without asking for the impossible.

What all 42 hadith cover

You do not have to read all 42 at once to see the shape of the collection. Taken together, they touch many of the foundations of the faith. Here is the ground they cover, grouped by theme, though many hadith belong to more than one.

This is only a map, not the full text. Reading each hadith in full, with a short explanation, is where the real benefit begins, which brings us to how to study the collection.

How to study and memorise the Forty Hadith

You do not need to be a scholar to benefit from the Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi, and you do not need to rush. A steady, understanding-first approach beats cramming. Here is a realistic way to begin.

1. Start with meaning, not memorising

   Before you memorise a single word of Arabic, read the hadith in your own language and understand what it is saying. Understanding gives memorising its purpose: learn what a hadith means first, then memorise its Arabic gradually so you preserve its wording and can return to it throughout your life.

2. Take them in order, a little at a time

   The Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi is arranged thoughtfully, so its order helps the ideas build on each other. One hadith every few days is plenty. There is no prize for speed, and a slow pace you keep beats a fast one you abandon.

3. Memorise the short ones in Arabic first

   Several of these hadith are only a line long, such as the hadith on intentions and the one on loving for your brother. Begin with those. Early wins build confidence, and short texts are easier to hold onto as you learn to memorise.

4. Read a trustworthy explanation (sharh)

   Each hadith has layers that a good commentary opens up. Scholars have written detailed explanations (sharh) of this very collection, and a reliable one will show you how each hadith applies in real situations. Pair your reading with one so you are not guessing at the meaning.

5. Act on one hadith at a time

   Knowledge that stays in the head changes little. When you learn the hadith on good character, look for one chance that day to practise it. When you learn the one on guarding the tongue, watch your speech for a day. Living a hadith fixes it in the heart far better than repetition alone.

6. Review with others, ideally with a teacher

   Studying in a circle, a class, or even with one friend keeps you consistent and corrects your mistakes, especially in the Arabic. If you can learn from a qualified teacher, even better, because hadith has always been passed on person to person.

A quick word on sahih, hasan and weak

As you study hadith, you will meet words that describe how reliable a narration is. A sahih (authentic) hadith meets the recognised criteria for authenticity: a connected chain, reliable and precise narrators, and no serious hidden defect or contradiction. A hasan (good) hadith meets the criteria for acceptance but with a little less precision in its narrators than a sahih report. A da’if (weak) hadith falls short of those criteria, and grading an individual narration can take specialist study.

This matters for the Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi because he deliberately leaned on authentic material: most of his selection comes from Bukhari and Muslim, the two canonical Sahih collections in Sunni Islam, with a few from other respected books. If you want to go deeper into how scholars grade narrations and why it matters, our guide on what a hadith is and how its authenticity is judged explains the system in plain terms.

Common misunderstandings

Frequently asked questions

How many hadith are in the Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi?

There are 42 hadith, even though the collection is known as the Forty. Despite the title, Imam Nawawi gathered 42 short narrations on the foundations of Islam.

Why is it called “forty” if there are 42 hadith?

“Forty hadith” was a popular genre among scholars, who often compiled forty narrations on a subject to encourage their memorisation. Imam Nawawi worked within that tradition but included 42, so the familiar title reflects the genre rather than an exact count.

Who was Imam an-Nawawi?

Yahya ibn Sharaf an-Nawawi was a Syrian scholar of the Shafi’i school, born around 1233 CE in Nawa and died around 1277 CE. Despite dying in his forties, he wrote enduring works such as Riyad as-Salihin and a famous commentary on Sahih Muslim.

Do I need to memorise the hadith in Arabic?

No. Memorising the Arabic is encouraged and rewarding, but understanding the meaning and acting on it is the real goal. Many people start by learning the meanings and memorise the Arabic of the shorter hadith over time.

Are all the hadith in the collection authentic?

Imam Nawawi chose mostly authentic (sahih) hadith, the majority from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, with some from other respected collections. Scholars have discussed the grading of a small number, but the Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi as a whole rests on sound material.

What is the best order to study them?

For most beginners, simply follow the collection’s own order, since it is arranged to build from intention and belief outward to character and worship. Learn the meaning first, then memorise the shorter hadith before the longer ones.

Is the Forty Hadith suitable for children and new Muslims?

Yes. Its short texts and clear themes make it a useful introduction for children, new Muslims, and anyone learning Islam properly from the beginning, especially when studied with a reliable explanation or a teacher. Start with a few short hadith and their meanings.

How long does it take to memorise the whole collection?

The time needed varies with your prior Arabic, daily practice, and revision. Many learners memorise one hadith every few days and review often; some finish in a few months, others take longer. Steady review is what makes it stick.

What should I study after the Forty Hadith?

A natural next step is Imam Nawawi’s own larger collection, Riyad as-Salihin, which expands on many of the same themes. Alongside it, keep deepening your connection with the Quran and the life of the Prophet ﷺ.

Where can I read the full collection online?

The complete text, with Arabic and English, is freely available on Sunnah.com under the 40 Hadith Nawawi collection. This guide links each quoted hadith there so you can read it in full and in context.

Sources & methodology

Every hadith quoted here was checked against its cited reference page before publishing. The Arabic and English texts are taken from the 40 Hadith Nawawi collection on Sunnah.com, and each quoted hadith links there so you can read it in full. Biographical details about Imam an-Nawawi are drawn from a published biography of his life, linked below. This is editorial fact-checking of the quoted texts, not a formal scholarly review; for a ruling on your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.

• Imam Nawawi, Al-Arba’in an-Nawawiyyah (40 Hadith Nawawi), including the compiler’s introduction, via Sunnah.com
• Biography of Imam an-Nawawi (life, works, and character) — imamghazali.org
• Hadith 1 (intentions), 5 (following the Sunnah), 6 (the doubtful matters), 13 (loving for your brother), 34 (changing what is wrong) — all reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and/or Sahih Muslim, via Sunnah.com

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This guide is for general learning and encouragement, and is not a substitute for scholarly instruction. Found an error? Contact IslamicEduHub · Follow us on Facebook.