64/35. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4167 — Pledge for Death After the Prophet
The Ghazwa of Al-Hudaibiya
وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {لَقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ} .
Hadith About Pledge for Death: Ibn Zaid's Limit After the Prophet
Sahih Bukhari : 4167
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4167
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، عَنْ أَخِيهِ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ يَحْيَى، عَنْ عَبَّادِ بْنِ تَمِيمٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْحَرَّةِ وَالنَّاسُ يُبَايِعُونَ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حَنْظَلَةَ فَقَالَ ابْنُ زَيْدٍ عَلَى مَا يُبَايِعُ ابْنُ حَنْظَلَةَ النَّاسَ قِيلَ لَهُ عَلَى الْمَوْتِ. قَالَ لاَ أُبَايِعُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَحَدًا بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. وَكَانَ شَهِدَ مَعَهُ الْحُدَيْبِيَةَ.
`Abbas bin Tamim Narrated from:
When it was the day (of the battle) of Al-Harra the people were giving Pledge of allegiance to `Abdullah bin Hanzala. Ibn Zaid said, "For what are the people giving Pledge of allegiance to `Abdullah bin Hanzala?" It was said to him, "For death." Ibn Zaid said, "I will never give the Pledge of allegiance for that to anybody else after Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)." Ibn Zaid was one of those who had witnessed the day of Al-Hudaibiya with the Prophet.
[1] A battle that took place between the army of Yazīd bin Mu'āwiyā and the people of Al-Madīna.(2) 'Abdullāh bin Ḥanzala was the governor of Al-Madīna, appointed by 'Abdullāh bin Az-Zubair.Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4167In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 209USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 485
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4167
This hadith about pledge for death records Ibn Zaid's careful position during the day of Al-Harra. People were giving allegiance to Abdullah bin Hanzala. Ibn Zaid asked what the pledge was for, and he was told it was for death. He replied that he would not give such a pledge to anyone after Allah's Messenger. The text also says Ibn Zaid had witnessed Al-Hudaibiya with the Prophet. The report does not discuss every type of allegiance. It focuses on this special kind of pledge and Ibn Zaid's refusal to give it after the Prophet. The main idea is respect for the unique place of the Prophet's pledge.
What we learn from this hadith
- A person may ask what a pledge actually means before giving it.
- Ibn Zaid treated the pledge for death with special seriousness.
- The pledge at Al-Hudaibiya held a unique place in his memory.
- Commitment should not be given without understanding its terms.
