حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مَعْنٌ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ نَوَّاسِ بْنِ سَمْعَانَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ الْبِرِّ وَالإِثْمِ؟ قَالَ: الْبِرُّ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ، وَالإِثْمُ مَا حَكَّ فِي نَفْسِكَ وَكَرِهْتَ أَنْ يَطَّلِعَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ.
الأدب المفرد · Hadith 295
It is reported Nawwas ibn Sam'an asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about dutifulness and wrong action. He said, "Dutifulness is good character and wrong action is that which works on yourself and which you dislike for other people to become aware of."
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020