Riyad-us-Saliheen with English Translation | 2 Volumes

Riyad-us-Saliheen with English Translation is Darussalam's 2-volume edition of Imam An-Nawawi's much-loved hadith collection, with the Arabic text, a clear English translation and a commentary on every hadith. In about 1,450 pages it gathers around 1,900 authentic hadith in 372 chapters, covering sincerity, patience, good manners, prayer, fasting, charity, family life, supplication and the remembrance of Allah. For more than seven centuries Muslims have read Riyad as-Salihin, The Gardens of the Righteous, as the one hadith book to keep open every day.

Why Riyad-us-Saliheen is so widely read

Most hadith collections are arranged for scholars, by chains of narration or by detailed chapters of fiqh. Imam An-Nawawi arranged Riyad-us-Saliheen for everyone. Each chapter takes one practical theme, opens with the verses of the Quran on that theme, and then brings the hadith that explain how the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions lived it. The result reads like a guide to good character and daily worship, which is why it is read aloud in masjids after salah, taught in schools and studied in family circles across the world.

An-Nawawi drew his hadith from the major collections, especially Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, along with the Sunan of Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah, and he set out to include only authentic narrations. That combination of reliability and practical focus is what has kept the book at the centre of Islamic learning.

What is inside the 19 books

The 372 chapters are grouped into 19 books. They include:

Sincerity, repentance and patience

The opening chapters deal with the heart: sincerity of intention, repentance, patience, truthfulness, taqwa, certainty and trust in Allah.

Good manners and dealing with people

Kindness to parents and relatives, rights of neighbours and orphans, honesty in trade, humility, modesty, and the manners of eating, dressing, sleeping, greeting, visiting the sick and travelling.

Worship

The virtues of prayer, fasting, charity, I'tikaf and Hajj, reciting the Quran, and the night prayer.

Knowledge, remembrance and supplication

The virtue of seeking knowledge, praising and thanking Allah, the adhkar of morning and evening, and the supplications of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Prohibited matters and seeking forgiveness

Backbiting, lying, envy, arrogance and other sins of the tongue and heart, followed by the closing chapters on seeking forgiveness and the mercy Allah has prepared for the believers.

Arabic text, English translation and commentary

This Darussalam edition gives each hadith in Arabic with its English translation, followed by a commentary by Hafiz Salah-ud-Din Yousaf that draws out the lessons and explains how the hadith applies in daily life. The English translation is by Dr. Muhammad Amin and Abu Usamah Al-Arabi bin Razduq. For English readers, the commentary is what turns a list of narrations into something you can act on the same day you read it.

About Imam An-Nawawi

Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Sharaf An-Nawawi (631-676 AH, 1233-1277 CE) was born in Nawa, south of Damascus, and became one of the greatest scholars of the Shafi'i school and of hadith. In a short life of 45 years he wrote works that are still studied everywhere, including the Forty Hadith (Al-Arba'in An-Nawawiyyah), Al-Adhkar on daily remembrance, and Al-Minhaj, his commentary on Sahih Muslim. He was known for his simple life, his scrupulousness and his devotion to teaching.

How to read Riyad-us-Saliheen every day

The book is built for small daily portions. Many masjids and families read a single chapter after one prayer each day: first the Quranic verses at the head of the chapter, then two or three hadith, then the commentary. Because each chapter is on one theme, such as patience, visiting the sick or the manners of eating, it is easy to pick one lesson and practise it that same day. Read this way, the two volumes take you through the whole of good character and worship in the Sunnah, one chapter at a time, and it is common to start again from the beginning once you finish.

Riyad-us-Saliheen English: set details

Who this book is for

Riyad-us-Saliheen suits every Muslim reader: families who want a hadith to read together after Maghrib, imams and teachers who need a lesson for a dars or khutbah, new Muslims learning the manners and worship of the Sunnah, and students who want a reliable first hadith book before moving on to the larger collections.

Other editions and related hadith books

• For a shorter selection you can carry, see Collection from Riyad-us-Saliheen (pocket size) or Collection from Riyadus Saliheen.
• Arabic and Urdu readers can look for Riyad us Saliheen in Arabic and Riyadus Saliheen with Urdu translation.
• To read the hadith in their original collections, see Sahih Al-Bukhari in English (9 volumes) and Sahih Muslim, or Summarized Sahih Muslim.
• For hadith on rulings and fiqh, see Bulugh Al-Maram; for a complete guide to Muslim life, see Minhaj Al-Muslim.

Browse more in the Hadith collection and Ahadith e Nabvi.

Riyad-us-Saliheen: frequently asked questions

How many hadith are in Riyad-us-Saliheen?

Riyad-us-Saliheen contains around 1,900 hadith, arranged by Imam An-Nawawi in 372 chapters grouped into 19 books. Each chapter opens with the Quranic verses on its subject, followed by the hadith.

How many volumes is Riyad-us-Saliheen in English?

Darussalam publishes it in 2 hardcover volumes of about 1,450 pages in total, with the Arabic text, the English translation and a short commentary on each hadith.

Who wrote Riyad-us-Saliheen?

Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Sharaf An-Nawawi (631-676 AH), the Shafi'i scholar from Nawa near Damascus who also compiled the famous Forty Hadith and wrote a major commentary on Sahih Muslim.

Who translated this English edition, and is there a commentary?

The English translation is by Dr. Muhammad Amin and Abu Usamah Al-Arabi bin Razduq, and each hadith is followed by a commentary by Hafiz Salah-ud-Din Yousaf that explains its lessons and how to apply them.

Are the hadith in Riyad-us-Saliheen authentic?

Imam An-Nawawi chose his hadith from the major collections, above all Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, along with the Sunan of Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah, and he committed to including only authentic narrations. That is why it has been one of the most trusted hadith books for daily reading for over seven centuries.

What does Riyad-us-Saliheen mean?

It means "The Gardens of the Righteous" (Riyad as-Salihin). The name reflects its aim: a collection of the hadith that shape a righteous life, from sincerity and patience to manners, worship and remembrance of Allah.

Is there a shorter or pocket edition?

Yes. Darussalam Store also carries Collection from Riyad-us-Saliheen in a pocket size, a smaller selection that is easy to carry and read daily.