Question:
I would like to ask about a hadith which states “it is necessary to accept advice even if it comes from a prostitute”. Is this hadith sahih? What if the advice given is not aligned with her effort to change? Doesn’t Allah SWT hate hypocrites?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Pertaining to the hadith on that it is necessary to accept others’ advice even if it comes from a prostitute, after we analyze and search for it in the books of hadith, we do not find its origin. This is because its matn (text) and sanad are unknown.
The next question presented is whether it is true Allah SWT hates hypocrites, in other words, a person who always give advice to others, but he himself does not change according to what he preaches for.
Indeed, Allah SWT does not like people who say something, but do not practice what they say in accordance with the saying of Allah SWT:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٢﴾ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّـهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٣﴾
O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? (2) Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do. (3)
Surah al-Saff (2-3)
From this verse, we may understand that everything that we utter should be followed by actions because Allah SWT hates those who do not practice what they say.
Besides, the Prophet PBUH has given and shown us guidance in our practice. Among them is a hadith narrated by Aisha RA where the Prophet PBUH said:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَا دُووِمَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ قَلَّ
O people, perform such acts as you are capable of doing, for Allah does not grow weary but you will get tired. The acts most pleasing to Allah are those which are done continuously, even if they are small.
Sahih Muslim (782), the Book of Prayer for Travelers and Qasar, Chapter the Advantages of Istiqamah in performing night prayers and etc.
Lastly, may Allah SWT makes us from among those who are istiqamah (steadfast) in practicing and performing what we said. Ameen.
Wallahua’lam.