65/2.3. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4477 — The Greatest Sins in Allah’s Sight
The Statement of Allah "...Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped)..." (V.2:22)
Hadith About the Greatest Sins in Islam
Sahih Bukhari : 4477
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4477
حَدَّثَنِي عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُرَحْبِيلَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَىُّ الذَّنْبِ أَعْظَمُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِلَّهِ نِدًّا وَهْوَ خَلَقَكَ ". قُلْتُ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَعَظِيمٌ، قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىُّ قَالَ " وَأَنْ تَقْتُلَ وَلَدَكَ تَخَافُ أَنْ يَطْعَمَ مَعَكَ ". قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىُّ قَالَ " أَنْ تُزَانِيَ حَلِيلَةَ جَارِكَ ".
`Abdullah Narrated from:
I asked the Prophet, "What is the greatest sin in the Sight of Allah?" He said, "That you set up a rival unto Allah though He Alone created you." I said, "That is indeed a great sin." Then asked, "What is next?" He said, "To kill your son lest he should share your food with you." I asked, "What is next?" He said, "To commit illegal sexual intercourse with the wife of your neighbor."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4477In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 4USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 4
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4477
In this hadith, Abdullah asks the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم which sin is greatest in the sight of Allah. The first answer is to set up a rival to Allah while He created you. Abdullah then asks what comes next. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says to kill your son out of fear that he will share your food. He asks again, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says to commit illegal sexual intercourse with the wife of your neighbor. A hadith about major sins should be explained with care. This narration names specific sins in a specific order. It teaches the seriousness of shirk, the sanctity of a child’s life, and the gravity of betraying a neighbor’s household.
What we learn from this hadith
- Setting up a rival to Allah is named first in this narration.
- Killing one’s child out of fear of food is named as the next sin.
- The hadith also names illegal sexual intercourse with a neighbor’s wife.
