It is narrated from Hazrat Harith Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Allah Almighty commanded Hazrat Yahya bin Zakariya (peace be upon them) regarding five things: that he should act upon them himself and also command the Children of Israel to act upon them. It was near that Hazrat Yahya (peace be upon him) would delay in this matter, so Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) said: You have been commanded regarding five things that you should act upon them yourself and also command the Children of Israel to act upon them. Now, either you deliver this message yourself, otherwise I will deliver it. Hazrat Yahya (peace be upon him) said: Brother! I fear that if you precede me in this, I will be afflicted with punishment or I will be swallowed up by the earth. Thus, after this, Hazrat Yahya (peace be upon him) gathered the Children of Israel in Bayt al-Maqdis. When the mosque was filled, he sat on a mound, praised and glorified Allah, and said: Allah Almighty has commanded me regarding five things that I should act upon them myself and also command you to act upon them. The first of these is that you worship only Allah and do not associate anything with Him. Its example is like a person who buys a slave with his pure wealth, i.e., gold and silver, and that slave starts working for someone other than his master and gives his wages to him. So, which one of you would like his slave to do such a thing? And I command you to pray, because Allah Almighty turns all His attention to His servant as long as he does not look here and there. Therefore, when you pray, do not look to the right or left. And I command you to fast, because its example is like a person who comes to a gathering with a bottle of musk, and everyone senses its fragrance, and the smell from the mouth of a fasting person is more excellent to Allah than the fragrance of musk. And I command you to give charity, because its example is like a person whom the enemy has captured, tied his hands to his neck, and then takes him to kill him. He says to them: Are you willing to accept a ransom for my life? Then he starts offering whatever he can, little or much, as ransom for his life until he frees himself. And I command you to remember Allah abundantly, because its example is like a person whom the enemy is pursuing swiftly, and he takes refuge in a strong fortress. In this way, as long as a servant remains engaged in the remembrance of Allah, he is in a strong fortress, safe from the attacks of Satan.

After this, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I also command you regarding five things which Allah has commanded me to adopt: (1) Collectiveness (2) Listening to the ruler (3) Obeying (4) Migration (5) And striving in the way of Allah, because whoever separates from the Muslim community even a handspan, he throws off the collar of Islam from his neck, unless he returns to the community. And whoever calls out with the slogans of the time of ignorance, he is the fuel of Hell. The companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked: O Messenger of Allah! (peace and blessings be upon him) Even if he prays and fasts? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Even if he prays and fasts and considers himself a Muslim. So, call the Muslims by those names with which Allah has called His Muslim servants.