64/12. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4020 — Abu Jahl at Badr and the End of Pride
Chapter
Hadith About Abu Jahl at Badr and the Fall of Pride
Sahih Bukhari : 4020
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4020
حَدَّثَنِي يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ التَّيْمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسٌ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ " مَنْ يَنْظُرُ مَا صَنَعَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ ". فَانْطَلَقَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، فَوَجَدَهُ قَدْ ضَرَبَهُ ابْنَا عَفْرَاءَ حَتَّى بَرَدَ، فَقَالَ آنْتَ أَبَا جَهْلٍ قَالَ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ هَكَذَا قَالَهَا أَنَسٌ. قَالَ أَنْتَ أَبَا جَهْلٍ قَالَ وَهَلْ فَوْقَ رَجُلٍ قَتَلْتُمُوهُ قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ أَوْ قَالَ قَتَلَهُ قَوْمُهُ. قَالَ وَقَالَ أَبُو مِجْلَزٍ قَالَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ فَلَوْ غَيْرُ أَكَّارٍ قَتَلَنِي.
Anas Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said on the day of Badr, "Who will go and see what has happened to Abu Jahl?" Ibn Mas`ud went and saw him struck by the two sons of 'Afra and was on the point of death. Ibn Mas`ud said, "Are you Abu Jahl?" Abu Jahl replied, "Can there be a man more superior to the one whom you have killed (or as Sulaiman said, or his own folk have killed.)?" Abu Jahl added, "Would that I had been killed by other than a mere farmer. "
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4020In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 69USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 355
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4020
This Hadith about Abu Jahl at Badr shows a clear moment after the battle. Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked who would check what had happened to Abu Jahl. Ibn Mas'ud went and found him already struck by the two sons of 'Afra and close to death. The key lesson is not a long war story, but the way pride can stay in a person even when defeat is plain. Abu Jahl still spoke with a sense of status and looked down on being killed by someone he called a farmer. For readers searching for the Abu Jahl Badr Hadith, the message is simple: rank, fame, and pride do not help a person when truth comes. The Hadith also records how the Prophet's companions carefully checked the matter instead of speaking without seeing.
What we learn from this hadith
- Check facts before reporting what happened.
- Pride can remain even when a person is clearly defeated.
- The Battle of Badr was witnessed and reported through named companions.
