64/83. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4458 — The Prophet Refused Medicine
The sickness of the Prophet (saws) and his death
وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُمْ مَيِّتُونَ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ تَخْتَصِمُونَ}.
Hadith About the Prophet Refusing Medicine
Sahih Bukhari : 4458
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4458
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيٌّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، وَزَادَ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ لَدَدْنَاهُ فِي مَرَضِهِ فَجَعَلَ يُشِيرُ إِلَيْنَا أَنْ لاَ تَلُدُّونِي فَقُلْنَا كَرَاهِيَةُ الْمَرِيضِ لِلدَّوَاءِ. فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ " أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمْ أَنْ تَلُدُّونِي ". قُلْنَا كَرَاهِيَةَ الْمَرِيضِ لِلدَّوَاءِ. فَقَالَ " لاَ يَبْقَى أَحَدٌ فِي الْبَيْتِ إِلاَّ لُدَّ ـ وَأَنَا أَنْظُرُ ـ إِلاَّ الْعَبَّاسَ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَشْهَدْكُمْ ". رَوَاهُ ابْنُ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنْ هِشَامٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم.
A'isha Narrated from:
We poured medicine in one side of the Prophet's mouth during his illness and he started pointing to us, meaning to say, "Don't pour medicine in my mouth." We said, "(He says so) because a patient dislikes medicines." When he improved and felt a little better, he said, "Didn't I forbid you to pour medicine in my mouth ?" We said, " ( We thought it was because of) the dislike, patients have for medicines. He said, "Let everyone present in the house be given medicine by pouring it in his mouth while I am looking at him, except `Abbas as he has not witnessed you (doing the same to me).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4458In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 474USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 735
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4458
This hadith about the Prophet refusing medicine describes an incident during his illness. Aisha says they poured medicine into one side of the Prophet’s mouth while he was ill, and he signaled that they should not do it. They thought this was only because a patient naturally dislikes medicine. Later, when he improved, he asked, “Did I not forbid you to pour medicine in my mouth?” They explained their thought. He then ordered that everyone present in the house be given medicine in the same way while he watched, except Abbas, because Abbas had not witnessed what they did. The hadith is often searched as ladud medicine hadith or Prophet refused medicine hadith, and it clearly shows that his signal mattered.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم signaled that medicine should not be poured into his mouth.
- Those present misunderstood his signal as normal dislike of medicine.
- When he improved, he corrected their action directly.
- Abbas was excluded because he had not witnessed the incident.
