64/38. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4200 — Freedom as Mahr in the Story of Safiya
Ghazwa of Khaibar
Safiya Hadith: Freedom as Mahr After Khaibar
Sahih Bukhari : 4200
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4200
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ صَلَّى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الصُّبْحَ قَرِيبًا مِنْ خَيْبَرَ بِغَلَسٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ " اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ خَرِبَتْ خَيْبَرُ، إِنَّا إِذَا نَزَلْنَا بِسَاحَةِ قَوْمٍ، فَسَاءَ صَبَاحُ الْمُنْذَرِينَ ". فَخَرَجُوا يَسْعَوْنَ فِي السِّكَكِ، فَقَتَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمُقَاتِلَةَ، وَسَبَى الذُّرِّيَّةَ، وَكَانَ فِي السَّبْىِ صَفِيَّةُ، فَصَارَتْ إِلَى دِحْيَةَ الْكَلْبِيِّ، ثُمَّ صَارَتْ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَجَعَلَ عِتْقَهَا صَدَاقَهَا. فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ صُهَيْبٍ لِثَابِتٍ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ آنْتَ قُلْتَ لأَنَسٍ مَا أَصْدَقَهَا فَحَرَّكَ ثَابِتٌ رَأْسَهُ تَصْدِيقًا لَهُ.
Anas Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) offered the Fajr Prayer near Khaibar when it was still dark and then said, "Allahu-Akbar! Khaibar is destroyed, for whenever we approach a (hostile) nation (to fight), then evil will be the morning for those who have been warned." Then the inhabitants of Khaibar came out running on the roads. The Prophet (ﷺ) had their warriors killed, their offspring and woman taken as captives. Safiya was amongst the captives, She first came in the share of Dahya Alkali but later on she belonged to the Prophet. The Prophet (ﷺ) made her manumission as her 'Mahr'.
[1] The Prophet ﷺ married her after manumitting her.(2) Mahr : See the glossary.Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4200In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 240USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 512
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4200
This hadith centers on Safiya, Khaibar, and the Prophet making her manumission her mahr. The report first mentions Fajr near Khaibar while it was still dark, then the Prophet said Allahu Akbar and spoke of the coming morning for those who had been warned. After the fighting, Safiya was among the captives. She first came into the share of Dahya Al-Kalbi, then later came to the Prophet. The key point for readers searching for hadith about Safiya bint Huyay is simple: her freedom itself became her marriage gift. The hadith does not add a long legal discussion here. It gives the event and the answer of Thabit confirming what Anas narrated about her mahr.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet offered Fajr near Khaibar before the main event described in the report.
- Safiya was among the captives mentioned in the hadith.
- Her manumission was made her mahr according to this narration.
- The report preserves a question and confirmation about what was given as mahr.
