Musnad Ahmad 461:1

'Affan narrated to us, Abu Khalaf Musa ibn Khalaf—who used to be counted among the *Budala* (substitutes)—narrated to us, Yahya ibn Abi Kathir narrated to us, from Zayd ibn Salam, from his grandfather Mamtur, from al-Harith al-Ash'ari, that the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "Indeed, Allah the Almighty commanded Yahya ibn Zakariyya, peace be upon them both, with five words: that he should act upon them and command the Children of Israel to act upon them. He was about to be slow in doing so, so 'Isa said to him: 'You have been commanded with five words to act upon them and to command the Children of Israel to act upon them; so either you convey them, or I shall convey them.' He said: 'O my brother, I fear that if you precede me, I will be punished or the earth will swallow me up.'" He said: "So Yahya gathered the Children of Israel in Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) until the mosque was filled. He sat upon the elevated place, praised Allah, and extolled Him, then said: 'Indeed, Allah the Almighty has commanded me with five words to act upon them and to command you to act upon them. The first of them is that you worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, for the likeness of that is the likeness of a man who bought a slave with his own pure wealth, in silver or gold. The slave began to work and deliver his earnings to someone other than his master. Which of you would be pleased if his slave were like that? And indeed, Allah the Almighty created you and provided for you, so worship Him and do not associate anything with Him. I command you to pray, for Allah the Almighty directs His Face toward the face of His servant as long as he does not turn away; so when you pray, do not turn away. I command you to fast, for the likeness of that is the likeness of a man who has a pouch of musk among a group of people, all of whom find the scent of the musk. And indeed, the smell of the fasting person's mouth is more pleasant to Allah than the scent of musk. I command you to give charity, for the likeness of that is the likeness of a man whom the enemy captured, tied his hands to his neck, and brought him forward to strike his neck. He said: "Will you accept a ransom from me for my life?" So he began to ransom himself from them with little and much until he freed himself. I command you to remember Allah the Almighty often, for the likeness of that is the likeness of a man whom the enemy pursued swiftly in his tracks, until he came to a fortified stronghold and took refuge within it. And indeed, the servant is most protected from Satan when he is in the remembrance of Allah the Almighty.'" The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "And I command you with five things that Allah commanded me with: the community (*al-jama'ah*), listening, obeying, migration (*hijrah*), and striving (*jihad*) in the way of Allah. For whoever departs from the community by a handspan has cast off the yoke of Islam from his neck, unless he returns. And whoever calls with the call of *Jahiliyyah* (pre-Islamic ignorance), he is among the heap of Hellfire." They said: "O Messenger of Allah, even if he fasts and prays?" He said: "Even if he fasts and prays and claims that he is a Muslim. So call the Muslims by their names, by which Allah the Almighty has named them: the Muslims, the believers, the servants of Allah the Almighty."