Hadith 4695

Regarding Al-Qadar (The Divine Decree)

English source

Darussalam · Volume 5

39. THE BOOK OFTHE SUNNAH

Sunan Abi Dawud Darussalam English translation

Arabic source

Shamela Arabic edition

الحديث: 4695 ¦ الجزء: 4 ¦ الصفحة: 223

DarussalamSaḥīḥAl-AlbaniSahih

Al-Albani source references (1)

صحيح وضعيف سنن أبي داود (opens in a new tab)
Source no. 4695 · Volume 1 · Page 2
Sahih
صحيح ابن ماجة (٦٣)

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English translation

4695. It was narrated from Kahmas, from Ibn Buraidah, from Yahyā bin Ya'mar, who said: "The first one to speak about Al-Qadar in Al-Baṣrah was Ma'bad Al-Juḥanī. Ḥumaid bin 'Abdur-Raḥmān Al-Himyārī and I went for Hajj or Umrah, and we said: 'If we meet any of the Companions of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, we will ask him about what these people are saying about Al-Qadar.' Allāh caused us to meet 'Abdullāh bin 'Umar entering the Masjid, so my companion and I surrounded him. I thought that my companion would leave the talking to me, so I said: 'O Abū 'Abdur-Raḥmān. Some people have appeared among us who recite the Qur'ān, and they strive hard in seeking knowledge, and they claim that there is no Qadar (Divine Decree), and that matters just happen (without predestination).' He said: 'If you meet those people, tell them that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me. By the One by Whom 'Abdullāh bin 'Umar swears, if one of them had the equivalent of Uḥud in gold, and spent it, Allāh would not accept it from him unless he believed in Al-Qadar (the divine decree).' Then he said: "Umar bin Al-Khaṭṭāb narrated to me: "While we were with the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, there came to us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white, and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of travel could be seen on him, and we did not recognize him. He came and sat before the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, resting his knees against his knees, and he placed his hands on his thighs, and said: 'O Muḥammad, tell me about Islam.' The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: 'Islam is to bear witness to Lā ilāha illallāh, and that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allāh, to establish the Ṣalāt, to pay the Zakāh, to fast Ramaḍān, and to perform Hajj to the House if you are able to bear the journey.' He said: 'You have spoken the truth.'" He ('Umar) said: "We were amazed at his asking him, and confirming what he said. He said: 'Tell me about faith.' He said: '(It is) to believe in Allāh, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day, and believing in Al-Qadar (the Divine Decree), both good and bad.' He said: 'You have spoken the truth.' He said: 'Tell me about Al-Iḥsan.' He said: '(It is) to worship Allāh as if you can see Him, and although you cannot see Him, He can see you.' He said: 'Tell me about the Hour.' He said: 'The one who is asked about it, does not know any more than the one who is asking.' He said: 'Tell me of its signs.' He said: 'When the slave woman gives birth to her mistress, and when you see the barefoot, naked destitute shepherds competing in the construction of lofty buildings.' Then he went away. I waited for three (days), then he ﷺ said: 'O 'Umar, do you know who the questioner was?' I said: 'Allāh and His Messenger know best.' He said: 'It was Jibrīl who came to you to teach you your religion.'" (Saḥīḥ)

Arabic text

4695 - حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا كَهْمَسٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ يَعْمَرَ، قَالَ: كَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ تَكَلَّمَ فِي الْقَدَرِ بِالْبَصْرَةِ مَعْبَدٌ الْجُهَنِيُّ فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَحُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ حَاجَّيْنِ، أَوْ مُعْتَمِرَيْنِ، فَقُلْنَا: لَوْ لَقِينَا أَحَدًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَسَأَلْنَاهُ عَمَّا يَقُولُ هَؤُلَاءِ فِي الْقَدَرِ، فَوَفَّقَ اللَّهُ لَنَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ دَاخِلًا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَاكْتَنَفْتُهُ أَنَا وَصَاحِبِي فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ صَاحِبِي سَيَكِلُ الْكَلَامَ إِلَيَّ، فَقُلْتُ: أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، إِنَّهُ قَدْ ظَهَرَ قِبَلَنَا نَاسٌ يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ وَيَتَفَقَّرُونَ الْعِلْمَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنْ لَا قَدَرَ، وَالْأَمْرَ أُنُفٌ، فَقَالَ: إِذَا لَقِيتَ أُولَئِكَ فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِنْهُمْ، وَهُمْ بُرَآءُ مِنِّي، وَالَّذِي يَحْلِفُ بِهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِأَحَدِهِمْ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا فَأَنْفَقَهُ مَا قَبِلَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ، قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ شَدِيدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ، شَدِيدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعْرِ، لَا يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ وَلَا نَعْرِفُهُ، حَتَّى جَلَسَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْإِسْلَامُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا» قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ، قَالَ: فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ يَسْأَلُهُ وَيُصَدِّقُهُ، قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ، قَالَ: «أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللَّهِ، وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ، وَكُتُبِهِ، وَرُسُلِهِ، وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ، وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ» قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ، قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِحْسَانِ، قَالَ: «أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ» قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ، قَالَ: «مَا الْمَسْئُولُ عَنْهَا، بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ» قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَمَارَاتِهَا، قَالَ: «أَنْ تَلِدَ الْأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا، وَأَنْ تَرَى الْحُفَاةَ الْعُرَاةَ الْعَالَةَ، رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُونَ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ»، قَالَ: ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ، فَلَبِثْتُ ثَلَاثًا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «يَا عُمَرُ، هَلْ تَدْرِي مَنِ السَّائِلُ؟» قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: «فَإِنَّهُ جِبْرِيلُ أَتَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِينَكُمْ»

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Footnotes

1
[1] Al-Lail 92:5-10.

Commentary

The last phrase of the narration explains the objective of it, and its importance. The Prophet ﷺ explained faith through different examples, and this is one of the most important and most popularly quoted Hadīths regarding it. In it, he ﷺ defined faith with matters of creed, although he explained it in other narrations by mentioning actions, even listing the pillars of Islam as a definition of faith. Iḥsān means to do well, or be generous, and sometimes it means beneficence. Here the definition is clearly given regarding its application to the religion, that it is to worship Allāh with an attentive heart, concentration, humility, just as the worshipper will behave on the Day of Judgement standing before his Lord. This is the fruit of Islam and faith, it produces a result just like a tree; when its trunk and roots are healthy, it grows branches, and when its branches are also healthy, it produces fruit. The knowledge of the exact time of the Hour is known only to Allāh, but the Messenger ﷺ was given indication of some of its signs. The scholars elaborated on various possible interpretations of his ﷺ saying: "The slave woman gives birth to her mistress" that is, her daughter will be in some form of authority over her. Many groups have tried to give esoteric meanings to these signs, restricting them to this or that people in particular. However, the descriptions are general, and they are obvious. The second sign describes nomadic herdsmen who vie with each other in constructing lofty structures. Neither of these two signs are indications of something that is unlawful: Captive women throughout Islamic history gave birth to important figures, after the death of the Prophet ﷺ, such events were widespread; and nomadic shepherds have dominated in many Islamic societies, from areas in northern Africa, to Asia and the Balkans, as well as Arabia. What we see in common throughout our history that fulfills these signs, is an indication of the Hour being near, and, a testimony to the truth of the Message of the Messenger ﷺ, it is not an indication of other than that, contrary to the interpretation of some extreme groups.