One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.), there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journeying were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet (S.A.W.) resting his knees against his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs, then he said: O Muhammad, tell me about Islam. The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) said: Islam is to testify that there is no god to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to perform the prayers, to pay the Zakât, to fast in Ramadân, and to make the pilgrimage to the House (Ka'ba in Makka) if you are able to do so. He said: You have spoken rightly, and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly. He said: Then tell me about îmân. He said: It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny (preordainment), both the good and the evil thereof. He said: You have spoken rightly. He said: Then tell me about ihsân. He said: It is to worship Allah as though you are seeing Him, and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you. He said: Then tell me about the Hour (day of judgement). He said: The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner. He said: Then tell me about its signs. He said: That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and that you will see the barefooted, naked, destitute herdsmen competing in constructing lofty buildings. Then he took himself off and I stayed for a time. Then he (the Prophet S.A.W.) said: O 'Umar, do you know who the questioner was? I said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: It was Gabriel, who came to you to teach you your religion.
[It was related by Muslim]
Note: Zâkat: It means compulsory charity to be levied on a man's wealth and distributed among the poors. Iman: is generally translated as faith or belief in Allah, but in Islamic term rendered with its six pillars as mentioned in the above tradition of the Prophet (S.A.W.). Ihsân: ihsan can not rendered in a single word, as it includes the vast meanings of right action, charity, sincerity etc. So it is rendered as the highest level of deeds and worship (perfection i.e. when you worship Allah or do deeds, consider yourself as if you see Him and if you cannot achieve this feeling or attitude then you must bear in mind that He sees you as mentioned in the above Hadith. This phrase ( "That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress" ) has more than one interpretation. Among those one is that slave-girl will give birth to sons and daughters who will become free and so be the masters of those who bore them. The other meaning is that a time will come when children will be so unobedient to their mothers that they will treat them like slave-girls.
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